Renewed tensions between the US and Iran additional intensified on Friday, leading to Iran focusing on a number of Gulf nations, as properly as putting an influence and desalination plant in Kuwait. The strikes come after every week of “dangerous escalation” between the 2 nations, with a number of consecutive days of strikes carried out on each side.
Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain have all confronted missile and drone fireplace over the previous week, as properly as Jordan. On Friday, US army bases in Syria had been additionally focused. Several ships within the Strait of Hormuz have additionally been struck. On Tuesday, two UAE supertankers had been attacked, ensuing within the loss of life of 1 crew member and eight accidents.
It is the worst flare-up within the area for the reason that Memorandum of Understanding to finish the battle was signed by the US and Iran on 17 June. Last week, US President Donald Trump instructed reporters as he arrived in Turkey forward of the Nato summit that the ceasefire was “over”, though he added that negotiators on each side might proceed speaking, with regional mediators Qatar and Pakistan ramping up diplomatic efforts.
Despite a number of Gulf nations being impacted by the newest spate of assaults, air journey within the area has remained steady, with restricted cancellations and disruption. Flights to and from Kuwait City have confronted some disruption over the previous two days, and the nation handled incoming missile and drone fireplace from Iran. Several worldwide airlines are nonetheless not flying to the Middle East or are working restricted schedules. In latest days, Air France and Singapore Airlines have prolonged their flight suspensions following the latest spate of assaults.
As a results of the creating state of affairs, these travelling from, to or by means of the area ought to stay vigilant to doable flight disruptions, particularly as it coincides with the summer time journey rush, with many households leaving the area for the summer time to flee the tough temperatures.
Emirates issued a special advisory for households travelling throughout this era, warning them to make sure they arrive on the airport no less than three hours earlier than their scheduled departure time, clear safety with 90 minutes to spare, and be at their gate one hour earlier than departure time. And with many worldwide airlines nonetheless not flying from the area, these travelling on regional airlines can count on key routes into Europe, the US and Asia to be busier than traditional.
Here’s what travellers with flights booked throughout the Middle East must know proper now.
This article was up to date with the newest info on Friday, 17 July 2026
Which airlines are working within the Middle East?
All airlines with flights into airports with restricted airspace are presently working with lowered and restricted schedules, together with routes headed for Dubai International Airport, Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport, Bahrain International Airport, Doha’s Hamad International Airport, Kuwait International Airport, Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport.