– Israeli aviation authorities have announced the closure of the country’s airspace to all flights as they prepare for an attack by Iranian drones.
The country’s airport authorities said the closure will take effect at 12:30 pm local time (5:30 pm ET).
Flights will be affected and travelers are advised to check with their airline for any changes that need to be made.
Iranian state television reported that Tehran had launched an attack on Israel. Iraq’s state news agency quoted Transport Minister Raqqa Saadawi as saying the country’s airspace was closed.
According to flight tracking data, before the attack was reported, a FlyDubai flight en route from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to Tel Aviv, Israel, turned around while flying over Saudi Arabia.
This Saturday, Iran launched a drone attack on Israel “from its territory,” an Israeli army spokesman confirmed in a televised statement.
“Iran launched drones from its territory towards Israel,” Daniel Hagary said shortly after 11:00 pm (2000 GMT).
Tensions between the two countries have risen in recent weeks following the April 1 bombing of the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which killed seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and six Syrian citizens.