ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Authorities have closed the airspace over Iraq and the Kurdistan Region for 72 hours after Iran launched a new barrage of missiles toward Israel on Sunday amid escalating regional tensions.
Ahmed Hoshyar, director of Erbil International Airport, told Rudaw that "flights have been suspended for a period of 72 hours."
Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority spokesperson Jihad Kadhim also told Rudaw that Iraqi airspace "has been closed for 72 hours."
Tasnim News Agency reported that Iranian authorities had also restricted air traffic, saying that following safety and security assessments, "the western part of the country's airspace has been declared closed until further notice."
Many regional countries have also taken similar measures.
The closure of the airspaces came after Iran fired missiles toward Israel following threats by Iranian officials over recent Israeli strikes in Lebanon.
"The Israeli military said it has identified missiles launched from Iran toward Israeli territory a short while ago," the Israeli army said in a statement, adding that sirens had been activated in several areas across the country following the launch.
Iranian semi-official media reported that the missiles were fired from the western Iranian Kurdish city of Kermanshah.
Following the attack, Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Headquarters accused Israel of violating the ceasefire and escalating attacks on Lebanon with US backing and international silence, alleging the use of prohibited weapons.
The military command warned that Israeli strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs had crossed "all red lines" and threatened "more crushing and regret-inducing blows" if the attacks continue or if Israel responds to Iran's actions.
