Doha / Dubai / Abu Dhabi / Baghdad: According to various media reports, blasts were heard in Doha, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Riyadh after US-Israel strikes on Iran on Saturday.
The UAE has condemned strikes on its territory by Tehran, dubbing it as a blatant breach of national sovereignty and international law, warning it reserves the full right to respond decisively to what it described as a serious escalation, according to reports.
Kuwait and the UAE also temporarily closed their airspace due to “regional security situation” following the US-led strikes against Iran and Tehran’s subsequent attacks on American bases in the Middle East.
A loud bang was heard in Abu Dhabi, news agency Reuters reported, quoting witnesses, amid the escalation. Emergency sirens were reportedly heard near the American base in Qatar, reported India Today.
Multiple flights cancelled
Multiple airlines have cancelled flights to the Middle East, following airspace closures by Iran, Israel and Iraq, among others. A list of the airlines that have cancelled their services is as follows:
Spanish airline Iberia Express
Air France
Air Arabia
Lufthansa
Germany’s Lufthansa has also suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv in Israel, Beirut in Lebanon, and Oman until March 7, according to Hindustan Times. Besides, Iberia Express has cancelled flights to Tel Aviv till 5 pm, local time.
Israel said it had launched a pre-emptive strike on Iran, targeting what it described as imminent threats linked to Tehran’s nuclear and missile programmes. Explosions were reported in the Iranian capital Tehran and other locations, according to international media reports.
