Over 23,000 flights to and from the Middle East have been canceled since the start of the US-led military operation in Iran on February 28, reports Bloomberg.
According to data from the analytical company Cirium, airlines had planned to operate 36,000 flights to and from countries in the region, but more than half have been canceled. The number of passengers who could fly on the canceled flights is approximately 4.4 million.
As of March 5, airspace is closed in Israel, Kuwait, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Bahrain and Qatar. Airspace is partially closed over Jordan and the UAE. Saudi Arabia imposed partial restrictions in the Persian Gulf region and along the Iraqi border.
On February 28, the United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran. Major Iranian cities, including Tehran, were hit. The White House justified the attack, citing missile and nuclear threats allegedly coming from Tehran. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced a large-scale operation in response, attacking targets in Israel. U.S. targets in Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia were also hit. The strikes on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and several other key figures in the Islamic Republic's leadership.