• Airlines across the Middle East have suspended flights due to military strikes.
• Multiple countries, including Iran and Israel, have closed their airspace.
• Widespread cancellations affect global air travel routes.
• Iran retaliated with missile strikes following US and Israeli actions.
• The situation has worsened travel disruptions amid ongoing regional tensions.

In a dramatic escalation of tensions in the Middle East, several countries shut down their airspace on February 28 after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran. Nations such as Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates announced the closures following the air attacks, which have severely impacted global air travel. As a result, airlines, including Lufthansa and Air France, canceled flights to and from the region and diverted others, leading to a significant operational burden for airline carriers, according to Reuters and South China Morning Post.

The situation escalated rapidly as Iranian missiles targeted several Gulf cities, prompting a response from various countries. A senior Iranian official warned that "all American and Israeli assets and interests in the Middle East have become a legitimate target," indicating a shift in the dynamics of regional conflict. In the wake of these strikes, air travel has been disrupted with airports announcing flight cancellations and airlines indicating operational challenges, as noted by Al Jazeera and Reuters.

By the end of the day, over a dozen international airlines, including Turkish Airlines, Air India, Qatar Airways, and British Airways, had suspended or canceled flights to various destinations in the Middle East. With more than 11,200 global flights affected, the situation reflects the complexities of managing air travel amidst military unrest, as reported by South China Morning Post and Al Jazeera.