Shafaq News- Erbil/ Baghdad

Erbil International Airport suspended all incoming and outgoing flights on Saturday after Iraq’s Ministry of Transport closed the country’s airspace in response to Israeli military strikes targeting sites inside Iran.

The ministry cited security considerations and the need to ensure the safety of aircraft transiting Iraqi airspace.

Maitham Al-Safi, the ministry’s spokesperson, told Shafaq News that “Iraqi airspace has been closed, and we are currently carrying out an aircraft evacuation process.”

Israeli media reported that the strikes targeted official and security-related facilities in several Iranian cities, including Tehran. Iranian outlets said explosions were heard in multiple areas and that air defense systems were activated. A US official told Al Jazeera that American air forces were participating in the strikes.

Read more: Why US–Iran talks keep failing, and why tensions persist