Reinstated warning
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Tuesday reissued and strengthened a safety advisory directing airlines to avoid flying in the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as well as over the Gulf of Oman. The move responds to heightened hostilities between the United States and Iran.
Background and previous guidance
Earlier this month EASA had removed a prior notice after a short-lived reduction in regional tensions that followed an interim ceasefire between Tehran and Washington. That prior advisory, which had been in place before the withdrawal, recommended caution for flights within the airspace of the Gulf states listed above plus Israel, Jordan, Oman and Saudi Arabia.
Current advisory and validity
The agency said the newly reinstated advisory will remain effective until July 29. In addition to the airspace restrictions above, EASA last week extended a separate advisory recommending that airlines refrain from operating within the airspace of Iran, Iraq and Lebanon until the end of August.
Drivers of the escalation
Tensions have risen after Iran launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. air base in Jordan on Tuesday. U.S. forces responded with repeated attacks for a third straight night, following Iran's announcement on Saturday that it was closing the Strait of Hormuz. That announcement prompted the U.S. President to reinstate a blockade of Iranian shipping and to propose a 20% fee to guard the waterway.
Security risks cited by EASA
"The presence of major US military facilities in the region increases the likelihood that the states covered by this Conflict Zone Information Bulletin may be directly exposed to Iranian missile and drone attacks," EASA said, also flagging the risk that civil aircraft could be misidentified by U.S. and other air defence systems.
Implications for operators
EASA's guidance places an emphasis on direct threats to aircraft from missiles and drones and on the potential for mistaken engagement by military air-defence systems. The agency's position reflects the immediate safety concerns for commercial carriers operating in and around the Gulf of Oman and the airspaces of the named states.
Note: This article reports EASA's advisory and the recent military actions and official measures as stated by the agency and relevant authorities. It does not add or infer additional events beyond those reported by the agency.