ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority announced Thursday that the country’s airspace will remain closed to all flights for an additional 72 hours due to escalating regional tensions and security concerns.
According to a statement from the Aviation Authority, the closure takes effect at noon on Thursday, and will continue until noon on Sunday, March 22. The decision applies to all incoming, outgoing, and transit flights.
The Authority emphasized that the move is a “temporary precautionary measure” based on "the ongoing assessment of the security situation and regional developments," adding that "it will be reviewed in accordance with any new updates."
“Airlines and relevant authorities will be notified of any further updates,” the statement added.
Iraqi airspace has been closed to civil flights since February 28, following the start of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.
The Civil Aviation Authority said the decision to close Iraq's airspace is prompted by the use of Iraqi airspace by Iran, Israel, and the United States for missile launches and military operations, which poses a significant risk to civil aviation.
The extension of the airspace closure comes as the US-Israeli campaign against Iran, called Operation Epic Fury, entered its 20th day on Thursday.
US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Monday that more than 7,000 targets in Iran have been struck since the launch of Operation Epic Fury, a large-scale US-Israel military campaign against Tehran that began on February 28.
However, Iran said earlier this month that it launched more than 2,000 drones and over 600 missiles targeting alleged US and Israeli positions as part of Operation True Promise 4.
Iranian-backed attacks have also been carried out by Iraqi armed groups across Iraq, including the Kurdistan Region, which has endured hundreds of drone and missile strikes since late February, resulting in seven deaths and 35 injuries, according to Rudaw monitoring.