Air India’s Delhi–Tel Aviv Flight Turns Back Mid-Air After Israel Launches ‘Preventive’ Strikes on Iran

New Delhi: Air India’s Delhi–Tel Aviv flight on Saturday returned to the national capital after Israel launched what it described as “preventive” strikes on Iran, triggering widespread airspace restrictions across parts of the Middle East and disrupting international flight operations.

Israel’s Defence Minister confirmed that the country had attacked Iran. Massive explosions were reported in Tehran, with local media saying several missiles struck areas along University Street and in the Jomhouri district of the Iranian capital. Thick smoke was seen rising near Pasteur Street, which houses key government buildings. The extent of damage and casualties was not immediately known.

Meanwhile, low-cost carrier IndiGo issued an advisory, stating that it was closely monitoring developments in the region. “We are closely monitoring regional updates concerning Iran and its airspace. The safety and security of our customers and crew remain our highest priority,” the airline said.

In a post on X, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said air raid sirens were sounded across Israel and advance alerts were sent to mobile phones, instructing residents to stay close to protected spaces. The military described the alert as a precaution amid the possibility of missile launches towards Israel.

As a safety measure, Israeli authorities ordered schools nationwide to remain closed, advised citizens to work from home and banned public gatherings.

Following the strikes, several countries in the region closed or restricted their airspace, significantly affecting international aviation. Airlines diverted flights bound for Tel Aviv and other destinations in the Middle East.

Flight tracking platform Flightradar24 said the airspace closures were impacting multiple carriers. Flight FZ984 from Kazan to Dubai diverted to Baku, while AI126 from Chicago to Delhi was flying over Syria. G9950 from Sharjah to Moscow was rerouted over Pakistan, and EK225 from Dubai to San Francisco operated over Afghanistan and Pakistan to avoid restricted zones.

The developments come at a sensitive diplomatic juncture, with tensions between the United States and Iran rising over a potential nuclear agreement. US President Donald Trump recently described Iran as “very difficult” and “very dangerous.” A third round of talks between Iranian and US officials was held in Geneva on Thursday, with another round scheduled later on Saturday.

With inputs from IANS