Egypt bans airlines from entering Iranian airspace for three hours due to regional tensions.
In a move that highlights continuing regional tensions, Egypt’s Civil Aviation Ministry has ordered Egyptian airlines to avoid Iranian airspace during a three-hour period on Thursday. This directive comes after a warning from Tehran about military exercises in the area.
The warning of Egyptian Ministry cited a notice sent by Iran to all commercial airlines, advising them Stay out of Iranian airspace from 4:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Thursday. The precaution was also extended to cover a three-hour period on Wednesday, according to the ministry.
The decision to restrict access to airspace is a response to rising regional tensions, particularly after the recent assassination of the Hamas leader in Tehran last week. Israel has been on high alert, preparing for possible retaliation from Iranand its allied militias for the murders in Tehran and Beirut.
While the Iranian news agency ‘ISNA’ reported that the head of Tehran’s international airport, Saeed Chalandari, denied reports of a warning against entering Iran’s western airspace, it remains unclear whether that statement applies to the entire country.
