The UAE has lifted all air travel restrictions imposed since the Iran war US-Israel War on Iran News

The announcement by the UAE aviation authority is the latest sign of positive developments in the Middle East.

The United Arab Emirates has lifted all air restrictions imposed since the beginning of the United States and Israel’s war on Iran, it has announced that it will open air traffic in the country.

All air traffic has returned “on time” in UAE airspace, the General Civil Aviation Authority said on Saturday.

“Our decision came following a detailed evaluation of the operation and safety, in cooperation with the relevant authorities”, the director of the airline wrote on X, adding that it will continue to evaluate the situation.

The announcement is a significant milestone for the UAE hubs of Dubai, which is home to the world’s busiest airport, and Abu Dhabi, which have been operating under a ban since late February.

The US-Israeli war on Iran has caused major disruptions in air travel across the Middle East, with Tehran’s retaliation against the Gulf states forcing the closure of flights. major parts of the region’s atmosphere.

As well as a blow to a region struggling to reduce its dependence on oil, the unrest has reduced the number of routes available to airlines operating long-haul flights between Europe and Asia.

At least eight countries have announced full or partial closures of flights, including the UAE, Iraq, Jordan, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait.

UAE carriers Emirates and flydubai temporarily suspended all services, while Etihad suspended all flights to Abu Dhabi.

More than 11,000 flights in and out of the region were canceled in the first days of the conflict, according to the airline company Cirium.

The UAE announced a “temporary and partial” shutdown of its airline at the start of the conflict in late February, before the incident. announcing a gradual reopening in March.

During the period when the UAE resumed flights between March 1 and 12, the country’s airports handled 1.4 million passengers and recorded 7,839 movements, while the country’s carriers saw their operations return to 44.6 percent of normal.

A ceasefire in Pakistan last month halted the conflict, paving the way for Saturday’s announcement.

Signs of recovery for regional airlines are emerging.

Qatar Airways on Saturday confirmed separately that it will resume flights to three Iraqi cities from May 10, after previously announcing more than 150 flights to six continents from mid-June.