EU aviation agency issues Saudi airspace advisory after Houthi attacks

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has issued an advisory for airlines to avoid Saudi airspace following a rise in attacks by the Iran-aligned Houthis, according to a bulletin posted on its website on Wednesday. The advisory does not reference Wednesday's incident involving a diverted flydubai airliner. The EASA stated it will continue to monitor the situation to determine if the risk for EU airlines in the country is increasing or decreasing.

In a separate bulletin, the agency recommended that flights do not operate within the airspace of Jordan at any altitude or flight level, a change from a previous advisory that only called for caution. The EASA also extended until November 16 its warning to airlines to avoid airspace over Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, and the territorial Gulf waters of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, and Oman, revising earlier advisories that suggested avoiding the entire airspace of these countries.

The seven-month-long conflict in the Middle East, triggered by US and Israeli strikes on Iran, has seen Tehran launch drone and missile strikes against US allies in the Gulf, while Yemen's Houthis have targeted Saudi interests.