Jordan’s Civil Aviation Regulatory Authority announced in a statement that Jordanian airspace will be closed to all incoming, outgoing and transit flights for “several hours” from 23.00 local time (23.00 GMT), the country’s official agency PETRA reported.
The statement said that this practice will be updated and controlled according to developments.
The decision to close the country’s airspace was taken “to protect security and the safety of civil aviation in Jordanian airspace due to the increase in dangers in the region, following an assessment of the risks according to international standards.”
Tensions are rising in the region amid rumors of Iranian retaliation following the Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Syria.
Israel announced a two-day school holiday across the country amid growing concern about the threat of a possible attack from Iran.
Israel-Iran tensions
On April 1, Israel launched an airstrike on the consulate building in Iran’s embassy compound in Damascus, killing 7 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, including 2 generals.
Iranian leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stated that Israel’s attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus meant an attack on his country’s territory and said, “The evil regime made a mistake, it should be punished and will be punished.”
US President Joe Biden has also pledged “unwavering” support for Tel Aviv in the face of Iranian threats to attack Israel.
Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz said, “If Iran attacks us from its territory, we will respond, we will attack Iran.”
Some countries had advised their citizens against traveling to Iran and Israel amid escalating tensions in the region.
