Tarek Chouiref
28 February 2026•Update: 28 February 2026
ISTANBUL
Saudi Airlines on Saturday announced the temporary cancellation of a number of flights due to developments linked to the escalating Iran-Israel confrontation, citing security and safety standards.
The carrier urged passengers to check the status of their flights before heading to the airport.
Separately, flight tracking website Flightradar24 reported that Muscat, the capital of Oman, temporarily closed its airport.
The developments came as several countries in the region imposed precautionary airspace restrictions, including the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq, amid the ongoing Iran-Israel escalation.
Israel launched what it called a “preemptive” attack against Iran early Saturday under the name “Lion’s Roar,” declaring a “special and immediate” state of emergency across the country.
US President Donald Trump later said his forces launched “major combat operations” in Iran aimed at “protecting the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime.”
The attacks come as talks between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear program had been ongoing under Oman’s mediation. A new round of talks in Geneva ended on Thursday.
Last June, the US struck three Iranian nuclear sites during the 12-day Israel-Iran war.
