According to Uraloğlu, escalating hostilities and retaliatory strikes have forced the closure of multiple airspaces across the region, severely disrupting civil aviation routes.

Airspace remains closed in several countries including Iran, Israel, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Syria, with the exception of the airspace around Aleppo.

Meanwhile, partial air traffic continues in Oman, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, while aviation operations in the United Arab Emirates are being conducted under strict and limited conditions.

Turkish airlines had earlier suspended flights to Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Jordan until March 6. However, authorities have now extended the suspension until March 9 for several carriers, including Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus Airlines and SunExpress.

Further adjustments have also been made to airline schedules. Pegasus Airlines has removed its flights to Iran from its timetable until March 12, while Turkish Airlines has suspended services to Iran until March 20.

Following daily security assessments, authorities also confirmed that flights to Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates would not be operated on Friday.

The ongoing disruptions have left several aircraft grounded across the region.

According to the transport minister, four aircraft belonging to Iraqi Airways remain grounded at Istanbul Airport, while two others are stranded at Muğla Dalaman Airport and one at Ankara Esenboğa Airport.

Additionally, two aircraft belonging to Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines remain at Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport. In Iraq, one aircraft leased from Tailwind Airlines is also grounded due to the ongoing airspace restrictions.

In a separate incident, a drone-related alert at Nakhchivan International Airport forced two passenger aircraft belonging to Azerbaijan Airlines to divert to Iğdır Şehit Bülent Aydın Airport. Passengers were later safely transported to Nakhchivan by road.

Uraloğlu emphasized that Turkish aviation authorities and relevant institutions are continuing to monitor developments in regional airspace on a daily basis. Officials remain in close coordination with international aviation bodies and regional authorities to respond quickly to any changes affecting airport operations and flight safety.

The extended suspensions highlight the growing impact of the conflict on regional aviation, as Iranian retaliatory strikes and ongoing military operations have increased instability across the Middle East, prompting countries to impose strict airspace restrictions to ensure passenger safety. (ILKHA)