Airlines Suspend Middle East Flights Amid US-Iran Tensions

Major international airlines have suspended flights to several Middle East destinations amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, including a U.S. military buildup in the region. Carriers such as Air France, KLM, Lufthansa, United Airlines, and Air Canada announced the pauses on Friday, citing safety concerns related to the geopolitical situation.

Air France, France's national carrier, temporarily halted services between Paris and Dubai for Friday and Saturday. In a statement, the airline said the decision was due to the current situation in the Middle East and that it was monitoring developments in real time to ensure the highest level of safety and security on all flights. KLM, the Dutch airline and part of the Air France-KLM group, suspended flights to Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam in Saudi Arabia, and Tel Aviv until further notice. KLM also stated it would avoid airspace over Iran, Iraq, several Gulf countries, and Israel as a precaution and is coordinating with Dutch authorities.

Lufthansa limited its flights to Israel to daytime operations and continued to steer clear of Iranian airspace. United Airlines and Air Canada canceled services to Tel Aviv, while other...