Iran airspace closed 'until further notice': State media

Iran's civil aviation authority has declared the country's airspace closed "until further notice," state media reported Saturday, as Israel and Iran continued to trade fire for a second day.

"No flights will be operated at any airports in the country in order to protect the safety of passengers... until further notice," the official IRNA news agency said.

Meanwhile, Iraq announces extension of closure of airspace. Report- AFP

The Iraqi Civil Aviation Authority says the airspace will remain closed to all arriving and departing flights until 1pm local time (10:00 GMT), Al Jazeera reports.

“This decision is made to maintain the safety and security of civil aviation within Iraqi airspace in light of rising regional tensions,” it added.

On the other hand, Jordan’s civil aviation authority says it has reopened its airspace a day after suspending it as Israel and Iran traded fire.

“Jordan has reopened its airspace starting 7:30am (04:30 GMT),” the chairman of the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission, Haitham Misto, said in a statement.

Earlier, Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani said the country would not allow its airspace to be violated, nor would it “be a battlefield for any conflict”.

Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) says the country is scheduled to open its airspace at 10am local time (07:00 GMT).

It quoted Fayez Rasamny, minister of public works and transport, as expressing his “deep apologies to arriving and departing passengers”.

“The decision and the accompanying exceptional measures were imposed due to purely security necessities,” Rasamny said.

The airspace will be shut down again starting from 10:30pm (19:30 GMT) till 6am (03:00 GMT) on Sunday, NNA cited the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority as saying.

Lebanon earlier halted its air traffic because of the exchange of fire between Israel and Iran.