SIA, Scoot Avoid Iran Airspace Amid Increasing Tensions In Middle East

SINGAPORE, April 14 (Bernama) -- Singapore Airlines (SIA) and its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot, have stopped flying over the Iranian airspace after Iran launched its first-ever direct attack on Israeli territory on Saturday, local media reported.

The Straits Times reported, quoting SIA spokesperson, that both SIA and Scoot used alternative flight paths with effect from 1pm on April 13 as a precaution.

“We are closely monitoring the situation in the Middle East, and we will adjust our flight paths as needed,” the spokesperson said.

Iran’s Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force fired dozens of missiles at specific Israeli targets inside the occupied territories.

The IRGC said the strikes are in response to numerous crimes committed by Israel, including an attack on the consular section of the Iranian embassy in Damascus and a group of its commanders and military advisors in Syria.

According to international media reports, several countries in the Middle East besides Israel have also temporarily closed their airspace due to the heightened tensions – including Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon.

-- BERNAMA