Iraqi airports, including Erbil, Sulaimani international airports, to resume flights
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – All Iraqi airports, including Erbil and Sulaimani International Airports in the Kurdistan Region, are set to resume flights.
Ahmed Hoshyar, the Director of Erbil International Airport (EIA), confirmed to Kurdistan24 that the airspace of both Iraq and the Kurdistan Region will reopen at 09:00 am on Sunday, April 14, 2024.
This decision follows a temporary closure of airspace by several countries, including Iraq and its neighboring states, in response to an attack by Iran on Israel. The attack occurred on Saturday night, April 13, 2024, around 11:00 pm, when the Iranian Revolutionary Guards launched an assault on Israel using missiles and drone bombers. This retaliation was prompted by the deaths of seven members of the Revolutionary Guards in an Israeli strike on its consulate in Damascus, Syria.
Read More: Iran says 7 Guards killed in Israel strike on Syria consulate
Israeli air defense systems successfully intercepted the majority of the Iranian drones and missiles, preventing significant damage. However, a 10-year-old girl sustained minor injuries in southern Israel as a result of the attack.
According to Israeli security sources, Iran launched a barrage of 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and 120 ballistic missiles at Israel, with most being intercepted. Some of the projectiles were shot down over Iraqi and Kurdish airspace.
The international community swiftly condemned Iran's actions, with the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, and other regional countries strongly denouncing the attack. The UN Security Council has scheduled an emergency meeting for Sunday to address the situation.
Read More: Biden Pledges Support for Israel against Iran, as Attack Feared in ‘Coming Days’
On Saturday, and according to reports from Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Navy conducted a helicopter operation to seize the Portuguese-flagged cargo vessel MSC Ariz near the Strait of Hormuz. The ship's ownership was initially reported as Israeli, but later clarification revealed its Portuguese registration.
Read More: Iranian Revolutionary Guard navy seizes a cargo ship in gulf
The reopening of airspace signals a resumption of normalcy in air travel operations, albeit amidst heightened tensions in the region.