Safe Airspace – Conflict Zone and Risk Database

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13 Jun

Risk summary updated: Israel is now Level 1 - Do Not Fly. Major escalation in the conflict between Israel and Iran. Ongoing exchange of fire with ballistic missiles, drones and widespread activations of air defence systems. Iran, Israel, Iraq - airspace remains closed to all flights. Conflict is expected to continue for several weeks.

04 Jun

Risk summary updated: Drone attacks across Russia are ramping up - including areas around Moscow, with some reaching as far as Siberia.

20 Sep

Risk summary updated: Ceasefire agreed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, following military conflict in the border zone. Azerbaijan has reopened the border airspace, but most operators are still actively avoiding the region, and routing north via Georgian airspace (UGGG/Tbilisi FIR) instead.

20 Sep

28 Feb

Country summary updated to reflect flight bans issued by several countries due to risk from military conflict.

17 Feb

Country summary updated: Added info on spillover risks from the conflict in Ukraine including Russian drone and missile strikes.

28 Feb

Country summary updated to reflect airspace warnings issued by several countries due to risk from military conflict in Ukraine.

28 Apr

Updated summary for Albania.

Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait FIRs have reopened following Iranian missile strikes on a US airbase near Doha last night. The overwater portion of the UAE FIR is also open again. Iraq has announced the reopening of its airspace, closed since June 13. A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Iran is now in place but already under strain - Israel accuses Iran of violating it with missile launches (denied by Iran) and has vowed heavy strikes on Tehran. Whether those go ahead remains to be seen. So the current airspace picture is this: Israel and Iran remain closed, and while nearby routes have reopened, airspace between the two remains at risk - from military activity or misidentification. Full updates are in the Special Briefing for the Middle East in your Dashboard. OPSGROUP Members are requested to report any additional information or changes to team@ops.group.

Iran is reporting that it has attacked a US airbase in Qatar. It says "devastating missiles" targeted Al Udeid Air Base (OTBD), which is 18nm west of the main Doha airport (OTHH). Qatar says that their "air defenses successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles”. The FIR's of Bahrain and Qatar are closed. The Emirates FIR (UAE) is also now partially closed around specific coordinates (see Notam A1757/25). Full updates are in the Special Briefing for the Middle East in your Dashboard. OPSGROUP Members are requested to report any additional information or changes to team@ops.group.

On June 22, the US launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites, marking a major escalation in the Iran-Israel conflict. While there’ve been no direct threats to civil aviation, Iran has warned US involvement could trigger retaliation against American military assets - possibly via proxy groups. This raises airspace risk over Gulf states like Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. EASA also updated its Conflict Zone Bulletin that day, still advising against flights over Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, and Lebanon. It now highlights spillover risks within 100NM of Israel’s western and southern borders, affecting parts of Egypt’s HECC/Cairo FIR (mainly over Sinai) and the northern OEJD/Jeddah FIR in Saudi Arabia. Airspace closures remain in place over Iran, Iraq, and Israel. The region is still highly unstable, with missile activity, GPS interference, and continued military build-up. Check the full briefing in your members Dashboard, updated as new information becomes available.

Pro-Palestinian activists breached EGVN/Brize Norton RAF base overnight, entering undetected and spraying red paint into the engines of two Airbus Voyager refuelling aircraft. They also claimed to have caused additional damage with crowbars. The incident raises questions about security at a key UK military transport hub - which also permits private BizAv flights. The last time members of this group carried out a similar airport intrusion was at EINN/Shannon in May 2025, when they breached the runway and vandalised a US military-chartered aircraft.

A member has reported a particularly bad GPS jamming encounter over the Andaman Sea while enroute from Thailand to the UAE (Global 6500). GPS inputs had been disabled for the crossing of Myanmar, but were re-activated clear of the coast. A short while later, the GPS signal was lost and two FMS’s were corrupted. The flight continued using INS only as there were no ground aids within range for position updates. This lasted for approx. 30 minutes before the signal was regained prior to entering Indian airspace.

Iran has issued a new Notam warning that a conflict zone exists over international waters in the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman within the OIIX/Tehran FIR. This is especially relevant to traffic currently operating to/from Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the UAE in close proximity to the area. The Tehran FIR remains closed, but spillover risk remains in adjacent FIRs. Jordan has also issued a Notam warning of potential short-notice closures within the OJAC/Amman FIR. Meanwhile, for overflights rerouting south via Egypt, several airways in the northern part of the HECC/Cairo FIR now have new restrictions in place until June 22. Check the full briefing in your members Dashboard, updated as new information becomes available.

GPS interference is now a regular occurrence in the Baltic region, particularly around Kaliningrad, Eastern Finland, the Baltic Sea, and nearby airspace. A recent member report from a flight over Finland noted complete GPS1/2 signal loss, ADS-B failure, unavailable terrain data, and FMS/GPS position monitoring loss. The aircraft reverted to DME/DME navigation and the system kept position accuracy within about 0.3nm. Reported to ATC and it was casually acknowledged as "this has been happening". If you're flying in the area, be prepared for GPS interruptions and rely on conventional nav as needed. To check the latest jamming/spoofing hotspots, check the live maps via the link.

GPS spoofing has been detected throughout the region due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran. New additions include both the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman with traffic operating to/from both Doha and Dubai affected. This is typically being presented as a position shift to show the aircraft over or near Bidkhun, Iran. The UAE AIP contains contingency procedures for GPS interference (GEN 1.5.5) which includes advising ATC and requesting a revised clearance using alternate means of navigation.

Iran and Israel have exchanged fire for a fifth consecutive day, with explosions reported over Tehran and Iran launching two waves of missiles toward Israel overnight. Air raid alerts were triggered, though the attacks were less intense than previous nights. Airspace risk remains unchanged - Iran, Israel, and Iraq remain closed, with very limited exceptions. High risk also continues in adjacent airspace, particularly over Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, where missiles and drones are transiting regularly. See the full briefing in your members Dashboard, updated as new information is available.

Over the weekend, the conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified - both sides have continued to exchange fire with ballistic missiles, drones and widespread activations of air defence systems. There has been no reduction in risk to civil aircraft. The airspace of Iran, Iraq and Israel remains closed with very few exceptions. Lebanon and Jordan have reopened, with the latter requiring 30 mins of extra fuel for inbound aircraft. Beware though that both the FAA and EASA strongly advise against overflights of any of the above countries. Routes to avoid the area are heavily congested (north via the Caspian Sea, or south via Egypt and Saudi). See the full briefing in your members Dashboard, updated as new information is available.

As Israel awaits a potential return offensive from Iran, it's apparent that this situation is very different to earlier Israel-Iran exchanges of fire. Israeli airlines have moved their entire fleet out of the country. Earlier today, El Al completed repatriation of aircraft to European airports including Milan, Rome, Sofia, and Larnaca. The airline has cancelled all flights. Arkia, another Israeli carrier, moved their aircraft to Cyprus this morning. LLBG/Ben Gurion is currently almost empty of aircraft. A number of the remaining airlines to operate to Tel Aviv have suspended flights to Israel until well into the second half of this year. It is clear that the expectation of an attack on Israel by Iran, and associated risk to the airspace of Iran, Iraq, and Jordan, is being treated as very likely.

An analysis from the FAA is available via the Special Briefing in your members Dashboard. The key message is that the US assesses that, "there is likely a critical risk to aircraft operating at any altitude in the airspace between Israel and Iran from offensive weaponry, the subsequent air defense responses, and the resulting debris. Potential retaliatory attacks against Israel and regional U.S. assets will expand the conflict and will likely pose a risk to aircraft operations in other parts of the Middle East and Africa". See full note in the Special Briefing.

A key element in the current Middle East airspace situation is the strong likelihood that this will continue for several weeks - Israel has stated their operation will continue for this length of time. Currently the FIR's for Israel, Syria, Jordan, Iraq, and Iran are all closed, with a few exceptions. Any airspace that lies between Israel and Iran is at risk, either directly from counter-missile activity or indirectly through misidentification. There are two routes to avoid it all - North (Caspian Sea) or South (Egypt-Saudi corridor). Egypt and Saudi Arabia have issued routing Notams to handle the traffic flow. In Europe, traffic using Greek and Cypriot airspace (Athens/Nicosia FIR's) is likely to get a slot outbound, as demand is high. Many sectors are at risk of overload, so keep a close eye on TCAS, have onward frequencies ready, and expect GPS interference - even more than usual. And of course, everything can change at any moment. See full briefing in your members dashboard, updated as new information is available.

At approx 00:11z Israel began carrying out major airstrikes on targets in and around Tehran. All Iranian airspace (the OIIX/Tehran FIR) has been closed until at least 10:00z June 13. In expectation of retaliatory attacks, a state of emergency has been declared in Israel. Israeli airspace (the LLLL/Tel Aviv FIR) has also been closed to all traffic apart from north/westbound departures until 07:00z June 14. Previous escalations have shown that in the likely event of a response from Iran, the airspace of Iraq and Jordan may also close at short notice. The situation is still emerging - operators should use a high degree of caution in the region at this time.

The US Government has ordered all non-essential staff to leave its embassies in Iraq, and is also authorizing the departure of non-essential staff and family members from Bahrain and Kuwait. The move follows reports that Israel may be preparing a strike against Iran, raising concerns of regional escalation. Iran has warned it would retaliate against US bases in the region if attacked. Stalled nuclear negotiations between Iran and the US have further heightened tensions. Operators should remain alert to changes — last year’s Iranian missile strikes prompted the sudden closure of several Middle Eastern FIRs.

An airspace incursion by a Russian military aircraft was reported on June 10 over the Gulf of Finland - the second in as many weeks. The aircraft briefly entered the EFIN/Helsinki FIR east of Helsinki itself before returning to Russian airspace. The Finnish Government is taking this seriously and are actively investigating the bust. Take care near the boundary with the ULLL/Sankt-Peterburg FIR - NATO has previously warned that military aircraft may be operating without transponders or reference to ATC.

Drone attacks across Russia are ramping up, with some reaching as far as Siberia, and that’s increasing the risk for any aircraft still using Russian airspace. Hundreds of drones have been shot down recently, including in areas around Moscow. Russian air defense systems are using surface-to-air missiles capable of reaching all altitudes, so the risk applies at every level. While most operators avoid Russian airspace completely, those still flying there for overflights or trips to Russian cities should be prepared for sudden closures or reroutes. Most of this activity happens at night, but daytime disruptions are now common too.

Both Pakistan and India have extended their reciprocal airspace ban on each other’s aircraft. A fragile ceasefire agreement remains in place but we continue to advise caution - especially over the Kashmir region and along the shared border where air defense activity could resume with little warning if hostilities re-start. France has amended its airspace warning for the region - it now recommends operators not to enter a section of cross-border airspace in Northern Pakistan/India below FL260 (LFFF Notam F0779/25 refers).

The mystery of worldwide dual GPS failures appears to have been solved. Over the weekend Boeing, Honeywell, and Collins collaborated to investigate the cause, and the outcome is that the faults were traced to one GPS satellite (PRN 37). A change in the data format being broadcast from it apparently led to the receiver failures. These were limited to Honeywell MMR's, predominantely on B737 and A320 series aircraft. This change has been corrected, and no further issues are expected. There was no connection to an increase in solar activity, or jamming/spoofing. The three OEM's involved consider the case closed. Thank you to all members who responded with reports and information.

This past week, a slew of Dual/Complete GPS Failures began to be reported by airlines and AOs around the world. Typically, the fault is first annunciated as an “ADS-B RPTG” Fault, followed by GPS 1/2 failure. This is unrelated to spoofing or jamming. Many aircraft have been grounded as a result, mostly for short duration pending a reset. An OPSGROUP All-Call is active, requesting further reports and information from members. See link for full Special Briefing on this topic in your members Dashboard.

Panama and Venezuela have agreed to resume commercial flights between the two countries, ending a suspension that lasted nearly a year following a political dispute. This comes shortly after Venezuela announced on May 21 that it is suspending all flights to and from Colombian airports until further notice - although we are still waiting for a Notam to be issued by the SVZM/Maiquetia FIR. The flight suspension appears to be a response to recent political arrests in the region. There is no indication that overflights (that haven’t landed in Colombia) are affected.

Two recent security incidents at the airport to be aware of: On May 17, some protestors entered the airside area and threw paint on an Omni Air International Boeing 767 parked at Stand 42. This caused a full suspension of operations for around 30 mins, placing three inbound flights in a hold. Fire cover was reduced as airport police and fire crews responded. And on May 1, some protestors were arrested after crashing a van through a security fence in a separate breach. While the airport was previously targeted during protests in Nov 2024, these are the first incidents in some time where demonstrators have physically entered the airside area.

The UK FCO reports that violence in Tripoli has largely subsided following a ceasefire agreed on May 14. However, the situation remains volatile. The Libyan CAA has issued a Notam indicating that operations at HLLM/Tripoli Mitiga Airport are expected to resume later today. Earlier this week, several aircraft were repositioned to HLMS/Misrata as a precaution. We’ve also received a local report confirming that Tripoli controllers have returned to the ACC.Despite signs of improvement, we continue to advise avoiding Libyan airspace (HLLL/Tripoli FIR) entirely. For a full briefing on current airspace warnings, visit safeairspace.net.

Heavy gunfire and explosions were reported in Tripoli on May 12. An emergency lockdown is in place. This appears to be in response to the death of a high-profile militant. The situation is unpredictable - as a result the airport authority at HLLM/Tripoli has confirmed evacuation plans have been activated including the transfer of aircraft to HLMS/Misrata. The US Embassy there has issued a new alert reminding US citizens not to travel there. Several states maintain active airspace warnings for Libya - including a ban on US operators over almost all Libyan airspace. See SafeAirspace.net for more info.

A ceasefire between India and Pakistan, announced on May 10, appears to be holding despite mutual accusations of violations. We continue to advise caution, particularly over the Kashmir region and along the shared border where air defense activity could resume with little warning if hostilities were to restart. Flight tracking indicates that nearly all operators are still avoiding the area, opting instead to reroute south via the Gulf of Oman and the UAE. While Pakistan has reopened all previously closed airways, both countries continue to prohibit each other's aircraft from entering their respective airspace.

A section of airspace in Southern Russia has been closed at all levels from 0600 - 1600z on May 13 (URRV Notam N6076/25 refers). There is credible concern that this may be associated with the launch of ballistic missiles from a facility located near the town of Kasputin Yar. A similar ban was in place in November ahead of a missile strike against Ukraine. This follows a warning issued by the US Embassy on May 9 predicting a significant airstrike in the coming days. Several states (including the US and Canada) maintain active airspace warnings for Russian airspace, especially near the Ukrainian border - see safeairspace.net for more info.

The Soviet-era spacecraft Kosmos 482 launched in 1972 sadly never made it to Venus. It’s headed back to Earth some time around May 10, although there’s still a lot of uncertainty about exactly when and where it will enter the atmosphere. Somewhere in the Atlantic off the coast of North Africa looks most likely, but its trajectory could bring it closer to Europe as well, and operators are being warned about possible debris. We should know more on May 9, and Eurocontrol will publish any relevant Notams on the NOP if required.

No new cross-border attacks have been reported since last night’s airstrikes in northern Pakistan. In India, VIAR/Amritsar, VISR/Srinagar and VICG/Chandigarh airports remain closed to civil flights until May 10 as a precaution. In Pakistan, flights have now resumed at all airports that were temporarily closed last night, including OPLA/Lahore and OPIS/Islamabad. Despite some media claims, Pakistan has not closed its entire airspace. Instead, several airways in the northern OPLR/Lahore FIR remain unavailable, although alternate routings are still possible. These restrictions are listed in Pakistan CAA Notams, many of which are not mirrored on the FAA’s site, so it’s best to check the source directly for the latest updates. However, all the major airlines are now avoiding Pakistan’s airspace altogether, with east-west traffic diverting south via the Gulf of Oman and UAE. Given the uncertainty and potential for rapid escalation, this seems a sensible choice. If the conflict continues, there is a chance that Pakistan could impose a full airspace closure, as they did from Feb to Aug 2019 under similar circumstances.

Deteriorating situation tonight between India and Pakistan. India launched airstrikes on several sites in Pakistan, and Pakistan’s military has said it has shot down five Indian aircraft and captured some soldiers.

News media is reporting that Pakistan has closed its airspace for 48 hours (no announcement from India yet). There’s no such clear-cut announcement on the Pakistan Notams (the OPKR/Karachi and OPLR/Lahor FIR codes). They did issue a flurry of Notams tonight, some of which have been cancelled already, but several remain in place advising of closed airways - mostly in the north of the country near to where the cross-border fighting took place.

Either way, all the major airlines are now avoiding Pakistan’s airspace entirely, and pretty much all east-west traffic is now routing via the Gulf of Oman and the UAE instead.

Tonight’s events come after two weeks of deteriorating diplomatic relations between the two countries following a terrorist attack against civilians in India-administered Kashmir on April 22 by a militant group from Pakistan. If the current conflict escalates, one concern is that Pakistan might implement wider airspace closures to overflights similar to what they did in Feb 2019 under similar circumstances.

Keep an eye on the Pakistan CAA Notams page. This has all the latest Notams on it, several of which do not appear on the FAA Notam site.

There was an Israeli airstrike on OYSN/Sanaa airport on May 6, in response to a missile attack on LLBG/Tel Aviv on May 4. There’s been no official announcement, but damage to the airport looks to be severe. There have been no commercial flights taking place here since previous Israeli airstrikes back in Dec 2024, which caused extensive damage to the control tower and terminal buildings. Yemen remains an active conflict zone, and the vast majority of Yemeni airspace (OYSC/Sanaa FIR) should be avoided.

A ballistic missile fired by the Houthis hit near LLBG/Tel Aviv yesterday, close to Terminal 3. Flights were briefly suspended, some international airlines canceled operations, but the airport reopened about an hour later and things are mostly back to normal. There were no fatalities, though several people were treated for minor injuries. The Houthis claimed responsibility and warned airlines to avoid the area. This was their fourth missile aimed at Israel in 48 hours, though the others were intercepted. The Israeli government has promised a response, and the situation in the region remains tense, so it’s a good idea to monitor updates if you have upcoming operations in or out of LLBG/Tel Aviv.

Member report: After clearing customs and immigration at MMSD, a crew member was called into the AFAC office despite all paperwork being completed. Officials requested they transport a bag containing prescription medication back to the US. The crew member immediately refused. The situation appeared staged, possibly as an integrity test or trap. Crews should be aware that accepting unknown items could lead to serious consequences, including criminal charges or aircraft seizure. Always politely decline, request written confirmation and avoid handling anything you have not personally verified.

Al-Shabaab carried out another mortar attack on a target inside the airport complex on April 6. No damage to airport infrastructure was reported, but it was the third attack in as many months. These have renewed concerns for the safety of civil aircraft there. The Somali Government has previously warned militant groups may actively target aviation interests. This is an important consideration for overflights using the Class A airspace above in the event of an unplanned landing. Safeairspace.net has more info.

China is carrying out a new wave of joint military drills in the waters surrounding Taiwan. This appears to be a response to recent political events. Large numbers of aircraft have reportedly been operating inside Taiwan’s Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over the past 24 hours - there have been no reports of incursions in domestic airspace. Increased military activity can put civil aircraft at extra risk - it’s a timely reminder to review the ADIZ procedures for Taiwanese airspace (attached).

Member Report: Large balloons above Sao Paulo are pretty common, especially around this time of year. There’s a group of artists in the area who create and launch them, some are several meters wide. The launches, which aren’t legal, seem to happen mainly on Sundays during Lent, and balloons have been spotted as high as FL150. Crews have even had to take evasive action at times, but SBGR ATC seems indifferent to PIREPs since they can’t really track or control the balloons. Despite the obvious risk, there are no Notams or ATIS warnings about them. There’s even been one report of an engine ingestion.

The US and South Korea are carrying out their annual joint military exercise Freedom Shield from March 10-21. North Korea perceives this as a threat, and historically responds with unannounced missile tests - the latest reported on March 10 with several landing in the sea of Japan. GPS interference is also likely - the RKRR/Incheon FIR has a long standing warning for this, which can affect ops at Seoul airports RKSS and RKSI and extend into the Yellow Sea. See safeairspace.net for a full briefing on known risks.

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