Syria closes southern air corridors, suspends Damascus airport operations for 12 hours

Syria closed its southern air corridors for 12 hours on Sunday night and suspended all operations at Damascus International Airport, as regional tensions escalated following the Iranian missile attack on Israel, as reported by WAM - Emirates News Agency.

Syria's General Authority of Civil Aviation and Air Transport said the closure took effect at 11:00pm on Sunday and was set to run until 11:00am on Monday. The authority said the measure covered both the temporary closure of the country's southern air corridors and the suspension of all operational activities at Damascus International Airport for the duration of the closure period.

In a statement, the authority said the decision was taken in light of recent regional developments and was based on ongoing technical assessments conducted through its specialised risk management committee. It added that the closure was a precautionary measure following a comprehensive technical evaluation and had been taken in coordination with the relevant authorities.

The authority said the overriding aim of the decision was to ensure the safety of air navigation and flight operations in accordance with internationally recognised standards.