Iran Warns of Potential Danger: Pilots Urged to Avoid Airspace

New Delhi: Iran has issued a directive advising pilots and aviation authorities to avoid its airspace, amidst escalating threats from Iranian officials to attack Israel. The warning, which surfaced on Monday, followed U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s communication to G7 foreign ministers on Sunday. During the call, Blinken indicated that Tehran might be preparing for an assault within the next 24 to 48 hours, although he did not detail the nature of the potential attack. In response, Israel has declared its readiness to counter any aggression, with the U.S. reinforcing its commitment to Israel’s defense.

The backdrop to this heightened alert is the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the prominent political leader of Hamas, in Tehran. Haniyeh was in Iran to attend the inauguration of the country’s new president. He was killed by a bomb at a guesthouse belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. While Iran and Hamas allege that Haniyeh was targeted by a missile, Israel has refrained from commenting on the incident.

As tensions rise, Israel’s military forces have been placed on high alert, and the U.S. is actively coordinating with both military and regional allies to prepare for any potential outbreak of conflict. There are growing apprehensions that a potential Iranian attack could be more sophisticated and widespread than the incident in April when Iran launched over 300 drones and missiles at Israel. During that episode, Iran had provided advanced warnings, allowing Israel and the U.S. to intercept most of the projectiles. However, this time, the absence of specific warnings from Iran has heightened fears regarding the scale and impact of any potential strike.

Blinken has cautioned that a significant attack could severely compromise future U.S.-Iran relations, threatening ongoing indirect negotiations that have been sporadically facilitated by Omani officials over the past 18 months. The potential for a large-scale conflict looms, with both nations’ diplomatic efforts hanging in the balance. The international community watches closely as the situation develops, aware that the implications could extend far beyond the immediate region.