Europe’s aviation safety regulator has issued an urgent warning to airlines against operating over large parts of the Gulf region as the escalating military confrontation between the United States and Iran pushes one of the world’s busiest air corridors into an increasingly dangerous conflict zone.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) advised airlines to avoid the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the surrounding Gulf of Oman, warning that the rapidly deteriorating security situation now poses a serious threat to civilian aviation.
In a safety bulletin, the agency warned that “unpredictable military developments, combined with the possible use of missiles, drones, combat aircraft and air-defence systems, create a high risk to civil flights at all altitudes and flight levels within the concerned airspace.”
The latest directive significantly expands an earlier advisory issued by EASA, which had already urged airlines to stay clear of the airspace over Iran, Iraq and Lebanon as hostilities across the Middle East intensified.
The warning comes amid renewed military strikes by the United States against Iranian targets and Tehran’s continued threats of retaliation, raising fears that commercial aircraft could be caught in the crossfire of an increasingly volatile regional conflict.
With the Gulf serving as one of the world’s busiest aviation corridors, the advisory is expected to force European and international airlines to reroute flights, suspend some operations and absorb higher operational costs in order to safeguard passengers and crew.
The latest warning also coincides with escalating military activity around the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important waterways through which a significant portion of global crude oil exports passes. Security experts have warned that any prolonged disruption in the area could have far-reaching consequences for international trade, energy markets and global aviation.
According to ChroniclesReporters, the United Arab Emirates has accused Iran of attacking two of its national oil tankers with cruise missiles in the Strait of Hormuz, leaving one crew member dead and eight others injured in what represents another dangerous escalation in the Gulf.
In a brief statement, UAE authorities said two national tankers were struck by Iranian cruise missiles, adding that emergency responders successfully contained the fires aboard the vessels while investigations into the attack continue.
The reported assault came as the Strait of Hormuz increasingly emerged as the focal point of the military confrontation between Washington and Tehran, heightening fears over the security of international shipping and global energy supplies.
Earlier, ChroniclesReporters also reported that the United States launched a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, marking another significant escalation in the conflict over security in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a statement posted on its official X account, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed that the latest operation commenced at approximately 4:45 p.m. Eastern Time under the direct orders of President Donald Trump.
“At 4:45 p.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command began launching the third consecutive night of strikes against Iran, at the Commander in Chief’s direction,” CENTCOM said.
The military command stated that the operation was designed to degrade Iran’s military capabilities and deter further attacks on commercial shipping transiting the Gulf.
The growing military confrontation has heightened international concerns that civilian aircraft and commercial vessels operating across the region could become unintended casualties of the conflict. Aviation analysts warn that the combination of missile launches, armed drones, combat aircraft and advanced air-defence systems has created one of the most dangerous operating environments for commercial aviation in recent years.
The latest EASA advisory is expected to compel airlines across Europe and beyond to continuously reassess flight operations over the Gulf, with many carriers likely to maintain costly alternative routes until regional tensions ease and the security situation stabilises.