Syria’s Ministry of Awqaf said two aircraft carrying nearly 700 Syrian pilgrims from Madinah were diverted to Amman after airspace disruptions linked to the latest exchange of attacks between Iran and Israel.

The ministry said the passengers were transferred by bus from Jordan to Syria, with each vehicle carrying between 35 and 40 pilgrims destined for Damascus and Aleppo.

The disruption followed temporary airspace closures by both Syria and Iraq after Iran launched missiles toward Israel and Israel responded with airstrikes overnight. Iraqi authorities initially announced a 72-hour closure of national airspace on Sunday before later reopening it. Despite the reopening, several commercial flights across the region remained canceled.

The delays underscore the continuing impact of the regional conflict on civilian aviation networks across the Middle East, where airlines have repeatedly altered routes or suspended services because of security concerns.

Syrian authorities said approximately 24,500 Syrians participated in this year’s Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah and Madinah, which concluded in late May.

The first group of returning pilgrims arrived in Damascus last week aboard a Syrian Airlines flight from Jeddah carrying 134 passengers, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency.

The conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States has increasingly affected regional transportation and aviation infrastructure, forcing airlines and authorities to adjust operations amid recurring missile, drone and airstrike activity across the Middle East.

Carriers from Europe, Asia and North America have extended flight suspensions to major destinations such as Tel Aviv, Beirut, Dubai and Riyadh, citing airspace restrictions and operational constraints. Airlines including Air France-KLM, Lufthansa Group and British Airways parent IAG have halted services to multiple cities across the region, with some suspensions stretching into May and beyond.

Asian carriers such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Japan Airlines have also withdrawn services to Gulf hubs, while rerouting capacity toward alternative long-haul destinations including London, Melbourne and Southeast Asia to meet shifting demand patterns.

North American operators, including Air Canada and Delta Air Lines, have suspended routes to Tel Aviv and Dubai, with some cancellations extending into the summer travel season, reflecting prolonged uncertainty over regional stability.

Middle Eastern airlines are operating under constrained conditions as partial airspace reopenings allow only reduced services. Emirates and Etihad Airways said they are maintaining limited commercial operations, while Qatar Airways confirmed it is running a revised schedule with fewer flights.

Saudi low-cost carrier Flynas has extended a broad suspension across multiple Gulf and regional destinations until the end of March, underscoring the extent of disruption within intra-regional connectivity.

Israeli flag carrier El Al said operational limitations have curtailed regular outbound flights, focusing instead on exceptional repatriation efforts and urging authorities to expand access to alternative airports.

Several airlines have pushed back route resumptions or delayed planned service launches. Norwegian Air postponed the start of Tel Aviv and Beirut routes until mid-June, while Wizz Air suspended multiple Middle East connections from Europe until at least September.

Finnair said it continues to avoid airspace over Iran, Iraq, Syria and Israel, highlighting ongoing safety concerns affecting flight planning and fuel efficiency. Other carriers, including Pegasus Airlines and Malaysia Airlines, have extended cancellations through late March and April.

The disruption has also triggered capacity adjustments outside the region, with airlines adding flights on high-demand corridors such as Europe-Asia routes as passengers reroute travel plans away from affected hubs.

The closure of major transit hubs in the Gulf critical nodes linking Europe, Asia and Africa has significantly constrained global air traffic flows. Dubai and Doha, among the world’s busiest connecting airports, play a central role in long-haul routing, and their partial or full shutdown has forced airlines to redesign networks and absorb higher operational costs.

The ongoing suspensions reflect heightened risk assessments by carriers and regulators as the conflict continues to affect airspace accessibility and airport operations across the Middle East.