Airlines divert, cancel more Middle East flights after Iran attacks U.S. military base

Airlines diverted more flights in the Middle East on Monday after Iran’s armed forces said the country launched a missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar, exacerbating the region’s military conflict

Airlines diverted more flights in the Middle East on Monday after Iran’s armed forces said the country launched a missile strike on a U.S. military base in Qatar, exacerbating the region’s military conflict.

More than 20 commercial aircraft bound for Doha, Qatar, diverted, while another four heading to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates turned around, according to aviation data firm Cirium. Meanwhile, flight-tracking platform Flightradar24 said airspace over the UAE was closed. Reuters reported that the island nation of Bahrain also closed its airspace temporarily.

British Airways said Monday it is canceling its Doha flights through Wednesday “following the latest developments.”

“Safety is always our highest priority,” it said. “We are contacting our customers to advise them of their options and will keep the situation under review.”

Earlier, major international airlines including Air France, Iberia, Finnair and others announced they would pause or further postpone a resumption of service to some destinations in the Middle East.