Egypt orders airlines to avoid Iranian airspace as Iranian attack appears imminent
Report says Iranian military to hold exercises at the time Egyptian airline have been ordered to avoid Iran's airspace
Egypt on Wednesday instructed its airlines to avoid airspace over Iran between 4:30 am and 7:30 am on Thursday, Tehran time.
This comes amid heightened tensions in the region after Iran announced that it would respond to the alleged Israeli assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh last Wednesday.
The Arabic-language Sky News channel reported that Egyptian sources had said that they were notified by Iranian authorities to avoid specific routes in Iran's airspace, due to the Iranian armed forces conducting military exercises at the time.
A day earlier, Israel said it had launched an attack in Beirut that killed Hezbollah military commander Fuad Shukr.
Iran is expected to reprise its April 13 attack on Israel, during which hundreds of UAVs and missiles targeted Israeli territory. This time, however, its Lebanese proxy Hezbollah and possibly other allied powers in the region may take part.
The exact nature of the attack remains uncertain, according to officials. Israeli officials have said that the security apparatus remains on high alert.
US officials have been working to prepare the ground to help defend Israel over the past week.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah stated on Tuesday that the assassinations are successes for the Jewish state, but not a victory. He added that the wait is part of the psychological warfare waged against Israelis, who have been edge, bracing themselves for the impending attack.