The aviation authority had briefly closed the country’s airspace as regional security risks escalated, after the defence ministry said it was responding to incoming aerial threats from Iran.

The suspension of air traffic was described by officials as a precautionary step amid rapidly evolving developments in the region. No timeline was provided for the duration of the closure, but operations were restored within hours once the situation stabilised.

Authorities did not disclose details on the scale or origin of the threats beyond confirming missile and drone activity, nor did they indicate any damage or casualties linked to the incident.

The General Civil Aviation Authority said the measures were implemented to ensure the safety of airspace users and aligned with standard protocols during security contingencies.

The reopening signals that risk levels were assessed to have subsided sufficiently for normal operations to resume.

The UAE is a major global aviation hub, and even brief airspace closures can affect regional and international flight schedules, though no specific disruptions were detailed in the official statements.

The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East, where cross-border threats involving drones and missiles have increasingly prompted rapid defensive responses and precautionary restrictions on civilian infrastructure, including aviation corridors.

Officials have not issued further advisories following the resumption of air traffic.

The outbreak of war in the Middle East has placed hundreds of ballistic missiles and attack drones into airspace near major regional hubs, raising safety concerns for commercial aviation as retaliatory strikes and military activity disrupt normal flight operations.

Iran’s response to U.S. and Israeli attacks has included strikes that hit airports and forced the grounding of numerous flights across the Gulf, from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, leaving thousands of passengers stranded and prompting emergency rescue flights to evacuate some travelers.

Industry experts and pilots say the risks confronting civilian aviation have steadily increased as armed conflicts across multiple regions have restricted available flight corridors and introduced new military threats into commercial airspace.

Reuters interviewed eight airline pilots and more than half a dozen aviation and security specialists who said the accumulation of wars in regions including Ukraine, Afghanistan and Israel has tightened airspace and forced pilots to operate in increasingly complex conditions.

These constraints require pilots to navigate around restricted zones, rapidly changing security advisories and new hazards posed by unmanned aerial systems and missile activity far beyond traditional combat areas.

The pressure is compounded by the need to make quick operational decisions to ensure passenger safety while maintaining adherence to strict aviation protocols.

The aviation sector has also seen a surge in disruptive technologies affecting air navigation, including drones and GPS spoofing, a form of electronic interference that can mislead aircraft navigation systems about their location.I

ndustry specialists say these factors have worsened airspace safety over the past two and a half years as conflicts expand and new technologies are increasingly deployed in military and hybrid warfare.

Drone incursions have not been limited to conflict zones. European airports have also experienced disruptions linked to unauthorized drones, adding to safety concerns for commercial aircraft operating in busy flight corridors.

Pilots say the growing overlap between military operations and civilian aviation is creating a challenging environment for crews trained primarily for commercial transport.

“We are not military pilots. We are not trained to deal with these kinds of threats in the air,” Tanja Harter, president of the European Cockpit Association and a pilot with experience in the Middle East, told Reuters.

Harter said the succession of global crises affecting aviation in recent years could create fear and anxiety among pilots responsible for passenger safety.Airlines have increasingly introduced peer support programs to help pilots cope with stress related to security threats and operational uncertainty, she added.

The intensifying conflict has already caused disruptions to international flight operations.An Air France flight dispatched to repatriate stranded French nationals from the United Arab Emirates turned back on Thursday due to missile activity in the region.A pilot for Lufthansa diverted a flight from Riyadh to Cairo on Friday after assessing potential security risks linked to the regional escalation.

Aviation analysts say such diversions reflect the broader challenge facing airlines attempting to maintain operations amid rapidly evolving security conditions.With missile launches, drone activity and shifting conflict lines affecting large sections of Middle Eastern airspace, pilots and airlines are increasingly reliant on real-time intelligence and international coordination to avoid potential threats.

The growing overlap between military operations and civilian flight paths is forcing aviation authorities and airlines to continually reassess risk calculations as the conflict reshapes the security landscape for global air travel.

Omar Hosari, director of the Syrian Civil Aviation Authority, said the corridor will provide a designated flight path for aircraft arriving at and departing from Aleppo. The route is open to any airline provided it complies with internationally recognized aviation safety standards.Hosari said the corridor forms part of a broader effort by aviation authorities to gradually restore operations through Aleppo’s airport, which has faced intermittent disruptions in recent years.Route designed to stabilize air operationsHosari told Reuters that the newly activated route stretches westward from Aleppo toward the Mediterranean, offering aircraft a defined and secure passage for takeoff and landing procedures.He said the corridor was created to support the resumption of scheduled and charter flights while ensuring safe navigation for aircraft operating in the region’s increasingly congested airspace.Airlines that meet international operational and safety requirements will be permitted to use the route, according to the civil aviation authority. The corridor is intended to accommodate both Syrian carriers and foreign airlines seeking to operate flights to and from Aleppo.Authorities did not specify which international carriers may begin using the route or when additional flights might be scheduled.Gradual resumption of Aleppo air trafficThe reopening of the corridor coincides with a gradual revival of flight operations through Aleppo’s airport, one of Syria’s main aviation hubs. Officials say restoring reliable access routes is a prerequisite for broader resumption of air services.Hosari said the corridor is designed to facilitate stable air traffic management as operations increase at the airport. Aviation authorities have focused on establishing clear approach and departure paths to minimize operational risk.He emphasized that compliance with international aviation standards would be required for airlines seeking to utilize the corridor.Airspace management amid regional congestionRegional airspace has faced mounting pressure as airlines adjust routes due to geopolitical tensions and operational disruptions in parts of the Middle East. Aviation authorities in several countries have been modifying corridors and flight paths to maintain safety and operational continuity.Syrian officials said the Aleppo–Mediterranean corridor provides an additional option for aircraft navigating the region’s complex airspace environment while maintaining adherence to established safety protocols.Hosari said the corridor remains available to any airline capable of meeting the necessary operational standards, underscoring that the route was developed to support safe and orderly air traffic flows linked to Aleppo’s airport.Authorities did not disclose further technical details about the corridor’s altitude structure or operational parameters but confirmed that it is now active for aviation use.