Global travel disruptions are mounting following the U.S. entry into Israel’s war with Iran, the Associated Press reports. After President Donald Trump ordered bombings on three Iranian nuclear and military sites over the weekend, Iran launched a missile attack on U.S. forces at a Qatar base on Monday. Qatar had closed its airspace a few hours earlier.
Before a tentative ceasefire between Israel and Iran was announced late Monday afternoon, sections of airspace and several airports throughout the region temporarily closed. Airlines across the world have canceled additional flights recently as well, with some halting routes through the middle of the week. Air tracking data from FlightAware showed 243 cancellations worldwide as of Tuesday morning.
Central hubs in the Middle East often connect global flights, and such disruptions have therefore snarled travel. Experts say, however, that the airspace closures and flight diversions are critical to safety.
