Egypt instructs airlines to avoid Iranian airspace amid military drills

Egypt's Civil Aviation Ministry directed its airlines to avoid flying over Iranian airspace for a three-hour period on Thursday, following Iran's warning to steer clear of the area due to military exercises, according to Euronews.

This advisory comes as tensions in the Middle East rise after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a senior Hamas leader, in Tehran. Both Iran and Hamas accuse Israel of carrying out the attack, and Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has vowed to seek revenge. 

Haniyeh's assassination follows the recent killing of Hezbollah's top military commander in Lebanon, for which Israel claimed responsibility.

Britain also advised its airlines to avoid Lebanese airspace after Egypt’s warning, according to Reuters.

This is part of a broader trend where more countries are advising their airlines to avoid the region.

The risks of flying over conflict zones were starkly highlighted in 2014 when Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 was shot down over Ukraine by Russian-backed separatists during the Donbas war