UAE govt-owned airline cancels flights to Iran, Israel amid regional airspace closures

Flydubai, a government-owned airline based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, said on Saturday that flights to Iran and Israel were disrupted following the closure of multiple airspaces in the region, according to a spokesperson.

The airline said it was working to minimise disruption to its schedule.

Describing the situation as ongoing, the carrier said it was closely monitoring developments and adjusting its flight schedule accordingly, stressing that the safety of passengers and crew remains its top priority.

Passengers were advised to check the status of their flights before traveling and to ensure their contact details are up to date through the airline's booking management system.

The development came shortly before the United States and Israel launched a wave of strikes against targets in Iranian cities on Saturday, triggering explosions and columns of smoke in the capital Tehran.

The attacks came after US President Donald Trump expressed frustration at Iran's stance in negotiations over its nuclear and missile programmes.

Trump said Washington's goal was "eliminating imminent threats" from Iran, and Israel's defence minister Israel Katz described the action as a "preventive strike".