On Saturday, airlines around the world reported the cancellation of flights to the Middle East as the US and Israel launched extensive military operations against Iran. The situation escalated rapidly, with multiple nations including Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, and Syria closing their airspace to civilian traffic. In response to these escalating tensions, US embassies in Gulf nations issued warnings to American citizens, advising them to seek shelter.

Reports of explosions emerged from several capitals in the region, particularly in Saudi Arabia's Riyadh, Bahrain's Manama, Qatar's Doha, and the UAE's Abu Dhabi. In Jordan's capital, Amman, air raid sirens were also reported, signaling an increase in hostilities. Flight tracking service FlightAware indicated that, as of 12:30 PM Estonian time, over 9,600 flights were delayed globally, with more than 500 cancellations attributed to the ongoing crisis.

Major airlines including Air France, Air India, Air Baltic, Finnair, Turkish Airlines, and Lufthansa confirmed their flight cancellations. Lufthansa specifically noted that the safety of its passengers and crew was the primary concern, leading to the suspension of operations to the affected regions. The committee to monitor the flight operations indicated that these wide-ranging cancellations are likely to continue as tensions rise, highlighting the impact of geopolitical conflicts on global aviation and travel plans.