Are flights to Israel cancelled? Multiple airlines cancel and divert flights due to airspace closures after Iran launches attack on Israel

Flights have been cancelled and diverted due to airspace closures through the Middle East as Iran launched a retaliatory attack on Israel last night (Saturday 13 April). United Airlines called off its Newark to Tel Aviv flight on Saturday after Israel closed its airspace. 

Jordan and Iraq also closed their airspace, according to Jordanian state-owned media news outlet Al Mamlaka. United said in a statement: “We are closely monitoring the situation and will make decisions on upcoming flights with a focus on the safety of our customers and crews.”

United also cancelled its flight from Washington Dulles International Airport to Amman, Jordan on Saturday night “due to unrest in the Middle East” as well as cancelling its Newark to Dubai flight today (Sunday 14 April). It is not clear when flights would resume.

Flight-tracking site Flightradar24 said multiple flights bound for Tel Aviv and Amman had diverted on Saturday. Flights scheduled for today have also been cancelled.

Israel’s El Al airline cancelled more than 20 Sunday flights. Two El Al flights headed for Israel from Thailand diverted to Bangkok. The carrier told passengers not to come to the airport until notified.

Emirates Airline cancelled its Dubai-Amman flight scheduled for Sunday. The airline said: "Emirates advises customers departing or arriving at Dubai International Airport to check their flight status on emirates.com for the latest information regarding their flights.”

Air France’s Israel service was cancelled for Sunday and British Airways cancelled its two flights to Tel Aviv on Sunday. Lufthansa airline also cancelled its service to Israel.

Australia's Qantas Airways said on Saturday it had temporarily rerouted flights between Perth and London on concerns about the Middle East, as expectations rose of an attack by Iran on Israel. Qantas said no flights between Perth, the capital of Western Australia state, and London had been paused or cancelled but that flights on the route were operating on an adjusted flight path via Singapore.

Last night Iran launched hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel in a retaliatory assault. It is Iran’s first direct attack on Israeli territory, setting off air rad cities across Israel including Tel Aviv and West Jerusalem.

The attack wounded a seven-year-old girl and caused minor damage at an Israeli military facility. Explosions were heard as air defences intercepted the projectiles.

The Israeli military said the Iranian salvo consisted of more than 300 “killer drones, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles”, but that 99 percent were intercepted with help from forces from France, the United Kingdom and the United States. British RAF Typhoons are understood to have been involved in shooting down Iranian drones over Syria and Iraq overnight, defence sources have indicated, with confirmation expected in a statement from the Ministry of Defence later.