Airlines operating across parts of the Middle East may face continued rerouting and longer flight paths after European aviation safety officials extended a regional risk advisory until July 1, 2026.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Wednesday said it has extended its Conflict Zone Information Bulletin covering a wide area of Middle Eastern airspace, citing ongoing security concerns in the region.
The advisory covers airspace over Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia, affecting several major international flight corridors linking Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
The bulletin was first issued on February 28 after the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran and has been extended several times as the security situation in the region developed.
Despite the US and Iran signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) last week to extend a ceasefire, originally signed on April 8, EASA says the situation remains tense, with the risk of renewed escalation still high.
“While the overall level of risk has decreased in the region, the sustainability of the ceasefire remains uncertain in the longer term, with a possibility of rapid escalation,’ the bulletin reads. “Should the existing truce break down, the airspaces covered by this Bulletin are likely to be exposed to imminent threats.”
EASA also warned that security risks remain elevated across several parts of the region, pointing to continued military alertness in Iran that increases the risk of misidentification in its airspace, ongoing strikes and activity in Iraq involving armed groups and persistent instability in Lebanon despite a fragile ceasefire with Israel.
“Air operators should not operate within the affected airspace of Iran, Iraq, Lebanon at all flight levels and altitudes,” it said. “They should exercise caution and take potential risks into account when operating within the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, UAE and Saudi Arabia.”
EASA subsequently advised airlines to keep their risk assessments fully updated, maintain backup plans for operations in the affected airspace and to be ready to respond quickly to any short-notice instructions from state authorities.
It also urged operators to closely track developments in regional airspace and follow updates from official aviation bodies.
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