Australians travelling to and from the Middle East have been left stranded after several countries abruptly closed their airspace following fresh military strikes in the region.

 

According to 9News, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Syria, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates shut their skies within hours of reported United States and Israeli strikes on Iran. The military action triggered retaliatory missile launches, further escalating tensions and forcing airlines to suspend operations across key air corridors.

 

The sudden closures have disrupted international travel, with flights cancelled, diverted or delayed worldwide.

 

One Australian traveller, Penni Milton, was en route to Italy with her children when their flight was halted in Doha. She told 9News that the pilot announced the aircraft was nearing Iraqi airspace when passengers were informed that Iraqi airspace had been closed. The family is now waiting in Qatar with limited updates on when flights will resume.

 

In Perth, another traveller said flight cancellations left several passengers facing visa expiry complications, describing uncertainty among those unable to depart as scheduled, 9News reported.

 

Nine.com.au further reported that four Virgin Australia services operated by Qatar Airways were forced to return to Australia after Qatari airspace was closed. Flight VA1 from Sydney to Doha was diverted to Melbourne due to Sydney’s airport curfew, while VA15, VA7 and VA21 were also turned back.

 

A Virgin Australia spokesperson said safety remained the airline’s top priority and advised passengers to monitor flight updates and check government travel advisories.

 

Airlines across Europe, Asia and the United States have taken similar measures. According to Reuters, airlines cancelled nearly 40 per cent of flights to Israel and 6.7 per cent of flights to the broader Middle East region following the escalation. Flight tracking data showed large sections of airspace over Iran, Iraq, Kuwait and Israel virtually empty.

 

Etihad Airways suspended flights to and from Abu Dhabi until at least Sunday morning, while Qatar Airways confirmed operations remain temporarily halted pending clearance from the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, Reuters reported.

 

European carriers, including Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM, have suspended routes to Tel Aviv and parts of the Gulf. British Airways halted flights to Tel Aviv and Bahrain, while United Airlines cancelled services between the United States and both Tel Aviv and Dubai. Turkish Airlines and several Indian carriers also announced temporary suspensions to multiple Middle Eastern destinations.

 

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has recommended that airlines avoid affected airspace until further notice, according to Reuters.

 

Aviation security analysts have warned that the impact could persist if hostilities continue. Experts told Reuters that further precautionary airport shutdowns in Gulf states may disrupt major international transit hubs should the security situation deteriorate.

 

The current closures follow confirmed missile exchanges between Iran and Israel after reported US military strikes on Iranian targets. Regional tensions had already been heightened in recent weeks, raising concerns over aviation safety in one of the world’s busiest flight corridors.

 

Travellers have been urged to remain in close contact with their airlines and consult official government travel advisories as the situation continues to develop.