Middle East On Boil: Flight Cancellations Plague UAE, Saudi Arabia & Israel As US-Iran Standoff Escalates; Air France, Lufthansa's Operations Hit

Flight cancellations disrupted air travel across the Middle East amid escalating tensions between the United States and Iran, raising fears of a major military conflict. Several major international airlines, including Air France, KLM and Lufthansa, have suspended or scaled back services to Israel and key Gulf destinations, citing a deteriorating security situation.

Several Flights To The UAE, Saudi Arabia & Qatar Cancelled

According to aviation news network Air Live, Air France and KLM cancelled flights to Tel Aviv as well as major hubs in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar late on Friday. KLM said all overnight flights to Israel and the Gulf have been cancelled through Sunday and added that it remains in close coordination with government authorities while reviewing safety conditions.

The Lufthansa Group has restricted flights to Israel to daytime operations and extended its avoidance of Iranian and Iraqi airspace. North American carriers United Airlines and Air Canada also cancelled their scheduled services to Tel Aviv for Friday and Saturday.

The Times of Israel reported that Air France and KLM have suspended flights to Israel, Dubai and Saudi Arabia until at least Sunday due to 'security tensions in the region.' Lufthansa had already halted night-time flights to Israel until the end of January.

Last week, Iran temporarily shut its airspace for nearly five hours amid concerns over possible US military action, forcing airlines worldwide to cancel, reroute or delay flights. Indian carriers such as IndiGo and Air India also confirmed that some of their international services were affected. Aviation risk assessment groups have warned that missile and drone activity in the region poses a serious threat to civilian aircraft.

US Makes Major Military Advancements Towards Middle East

The travel disruptions come as the United States increases its military presence in the Middle East. According to the Associated Press, Washington has deployed additional assets, including an aircraft carrier group, fighter jets and thousands of troops. US President Donald Trump said a large American naval force was moving towards Iran as a precautionary measure.

The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier and accompanying destroyers are expected to join existing US naval assets in the Persian Gulf region. Additional US Air Force fighter jets have also been deployed, while the UK has sent Typhoon jets to Qatar in a defensive role.

Meanwhile, tensions remain high within Iran following a crackdown on protests. Rights groups have reported sharply differing death tolls, with US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency claiming over 5,000 deaths, while Iranian authorities have cited significantly lower figures. The situation on the ground remains difficult to verify amid restrictions on information and internet access.