Middle East travel chaos strands hundreds of thousands (VIDEOS)

Hundreds of thousands travelers have been stranded across the Middle East following airspace closures triggered by unprovoked US-Israeli strikes on Iran, according to flight analytics firms.

Massive strikes against Tehran began Saturday, killing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, top officials, and hundreds of civilians. Tehran responded with hundreds of missile and drone attacks targeting US and Israeli bases across the Middle East.

Iran has also reportedly targeted several major regional aviation hubs, including the Dubai International Airport in the UAE – the world’s busiest – where damage and casualties were reported, as well as sites near international airports in Bahrain, Kuwait, and Iraq.

Following the escalation, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE announced partial or total airspace closures, forcing flight suspensions, cancellations, and diversions.

More than 3,400 flights have been canceled across seven major Middle Eastern airports on Sunday, according to flight tracker Flightradar24, affecting hundreds of thousands of passengers.

Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways – three major Gulf carriers that typically handle about 90,000 passengers daily – canceled roughly a third of their flights, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.

Numerous international airlines also canceled Gulf routes through the weekend as civil aviation authorities designated much of the Middle East as a high-security risk zone.

Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Air India, and others suspended regional operations from at least March 3–7. FlightAware reported more than 19,000 global flight delays due to the Middle East crisis as of 2:30 am GMT on Sunday.

READ MORE: Khamenei is dead: What’s next for Iran?

Russian carriers, including Aeroflot, also canceled or rerouted flights, and suspended services to Tehran, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. According to the Association of Tour Operators of Russia (ATOR), about 8,000 Russian tourists have been stranded abroad while returning from vacations after missing Middle East connections. Rosaviatsia has been coordinating alternative routes to avoid Israel and Iran.

Analysts warn that the disruption is inflicting heavy financial losses on airlines and hotels, as well as travelers. Several airlines issued waivers and pledged to cover accommodation, meals, and rebooking for stranded passengers. However, multiple travelers have posted footage of overcrowded airports across the region on social media.

The crisis also disrupted shipping and cruise operations. MSC Cruises, TUI, and Celestyal canceled or suspended departures amid missile and drone activity. Container traffic through the Strait of Hormuz was halted or rerouted after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued warnings that no vessels are permitted to pass, although no formal blockade has been officially declared by Tehran. According to shipping analytics firm Linerlytica, about 170 containerships are currently inside the strait and facing restrictions on exiting.