Israel-Iran war: Thousands stranded as airspace closes across Middle East

Iran has suspended all flights at Tehran’s Khomeini International Airport, while Israel claims to have bombed Mehrabad Airport, a facility used by Iran's air force and domestic airlines.

Stranded travelers and students are facing mounting chaos as the intensifying conflict between Israel and Iran has triggered sweeping airspace closures and airport shutdowns across the Middle East.

Aimal Hussein, a 55-year-old Afghan businessman, is among those caught in the escalating turmoil. After Israeli airstrikes landed near his hotel in the Iranian city of Qom on Sunday, Hussein fled to Tehran seeking safety. But with Iranian airspace shut and taxis refusing to head toward the Afghan border, he's been forced to shelter in the basement of a small hotel.

“Flights, markets...everything is closed,” Hussein told the Associated Press over the phone. “No one is taking us. I’m trying to get to the border by taxi, but they are hard to find.”

The situation on the ground has grown increasingly dire since Israel launched a major aerial assault on Friday, targeting locations in Tehran and other Iranian cities. The strikes reportedly killed senior military officers, nuclear scientists, and damaged critical infrastructure, including a uranium enrichment facility near Qom. Iran has retaliated with a barrage of drones and missiles, heightening fears of a broader regional war.

The growing hostilities have disrupted commercial aviation across the region. Most countries in the Middle East have closed their airspace, leading to a wave of airport shutdowns, cancelled flights, and thousands of stranded passengers.

Aviation experts warn the ripple effect is immense.

“The domino effect here is massive,” said John Cox, a retired pilot and aviation safety expert. “You've got thousands of passengers, crews, and aircraft all out of position. The cost and complexity of restoring order will be huge.”

In one instance, Zvika Berg, a passenger on an El Al flight from New York to Israel, was rerouted to Larnaca, Cyprus, mid-flight. “I’m debating what to do now,” said Berg, who found himself unexpectedly waiting at a hotel in Larnaca, along with passengers from other diverted Israel-bound flights.

Israel’s main international gateway, Ben Gurion Airport, has been closed “until further notice,” stranding over 50,000 Israeli citizens overseas. The country's airlines have redirected aircraft to Cyprus to maintain emergency operations.

Meanwhile, Mahala Finkleman, a Canadian national, has taken refuge in a Tel Aviv hotel after her Air Canada flight was cancelled. “We hear the booms. Sometimes there’s shaking,” she said from the hotel’s underground shelter. “It’s even scarier seeing on TV what happened above our heads.”

Adding to the alarm, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office has advised citizens to avoid exiting the country via the open border crossings with Egypt and Jordan, citing "high risk" threats to Israeli travelers, despite those countries maintaining diplomatic ties with Tel Aviv.

Iran has suspended all flights at Tehran’s Khomeini International Airport, while Israel claims to have bombed Mehrabad Airport, a facility used by Iran's air force and domestic airlines.

Indian medical student Arsalan Ahmed is among thousands of foreign students stuck in Iran. “It is very scary what we watch on television,” he said. “But scarier are the deafening explosions we hear.” While Iranian universities are working to relocate students to safer areas, many remain in limbo, awaiting a response from their home governments. India, for instance, has not yet announced an evacuation plan.

As tensions spiral, fears of a broader conflagration are mounting, not just in military terms, but in humanitarian and logistical dimensions as well. Travelers, students, and families remain caught in a conflict that shows no signs of immediate de-escalation.