Israel’s top civil aviation official has formally warned international airlines that the country may be entering a more volatile security phase, raising the prospect of another temporary closure of Israeli airspace this coming weekend.
In a letter sent Sunday to foreign airline executives, Shmuel Zakai, head of Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), said current security assessments point to a significant shift in the regional risk profile.
“Our assessment is that the coming weekend may mark the beginning of a more sensitive period,” Zakai wrote.
While stressing that the CAA is continuing to follow Home Front Command guidance that allows for regular civilian flight activity, Zakai outlined a contingency framework for a potential shutdown of Israeli airspace, a step Israel has taken during previous periods of acute military escalation.
Israel temporarily closed its skies in June 2025 during the 12-day war with Iran, and on multiple occasions in 2024, forcing carriers to divert or cancel flights amid missile threats and regional instability. And with American forces growing in the Gulf region in preparation for a possible sustained attack on Iran, officials appear to be getting ready.
According to the correspondence, the CAA has developed a prioritized departure plan in the event of an airspace closure. Under the protocol, foreign aircraft on the ground in Israel would be given the first available windows to depart the country and clear the combat theater.
The move is designed to reduce the number of stranded international aircraft and crews, a problem that complicated previous closures and led to prolonged disruptions for foreign carriers.
The warning comes as major international carriers have already begun scaling back operations across parts of the region amid rising fears of broader conflict.
Several European airlines have recently suspended or restricted flights to key Middle East hubs, including Tel Aviv, citing risks associated with missile activity, airspace disruptions, and GPS interference. Industry officials say airlines are closely monitoring Israeli guidance as a bellwether for wider regional stability.
Ben Gurion Airport remains one of the most sensitive aviation environments in the world, given Israel’s proximity to active conflict zones and the frequency with which regional flare-ups can trigger rapid changes in airspace status.
Foreign carriers operating in Israel typically rely on close coordination with Israeli aviation and defense authorities, and formal warnings from the CAA are viewed in the industry as a strong signal of deteriorating security conditions.
For now, Home Front Command — which sets guidelines for civilian activity during security emergencies — continues to allow normal flight operations. But the fact that contingency plans are being shared in advance suggests that officials are preparing airlines for rapid shifts with little notice.
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9 Responses
So basically they’re telling Iran that a strike is coming this weekend. What happened to element of surprise?
Or… we’re telling Iran a strike is coming this weekend….. because it’s actually coming tonight.
Sounds more like bluff and misinformation to me. They didn’t notify anyone in June when they attacked Iran. Israel and the US are sending all sorts of signals, most are probably meant to throw Iran off.
The 47th POTUS doesn’t withhold information ever. On The Mind-Out The Mouth
Apparently China has been delivering a lot of military hardware to Iran over the last several days and so a war with Iran which at this point seems more likely than not, may not be a one two punch as everyone would like it to be.
You don’t need an element of surprise unless Israel was attacking Iran. America’s military can burn Iran to the ground with no surprise attack
El Al appreciates Iran’s business
Here is what I first counselled publicly in 2012 about the Iran – The West/USA/Israel Imbroglio:
What is the Circuit Breaker to the Iran-The West/USA/Israel Imbroglio? How do various leaders get out the corners they have painted themselves into? What is the Off Ramp? 🤔
Ayatollah Khamenei and his entourage are seen walking in peace (in 2026) through the Old City of Jerusalem on their way to the Tent of Meeting, where he will sit and discuss, with the right mediators/facilitators 👩 👑 👨 in place, various outstanding hot-button issues, e.g. The Nuclear File.
An open ended, dynamic Peace Treaty/Hudna هدنة document is created. It will be signed by various leaders and then ratified by their national governments. Under the “Royal Seal” of the divinely mandated Court of the Tent of Meeting so the agreements will stick.
See “The Treaty of Westphalia” on Yale Avalon Law for an example of a multi-party, multi-faceted, peace treaty document. My favourite line in the Treaty:
“That this Peace and Amity be observ’d and cultivated with such a Sincerity and Zeal, that each Party shall endeavour to procure the Benefit, Honour and Advantage of the other; that thus on all sides they may see this Peace and Friendship in the Roman Empire, and the Kingdom of France flourish, by entertaining a good and faithful Neighbourhood.” 👍
P.S. יוסף המתין למעלה מ-13 שנים עד שהבטחתו הנבואית התגשמה.
To Adam
Are you into writing fiction novels. Ayotollah would walk in Jerusalem if he wiped out all its Jews. Maybe hitler is going to walk in Jerusalem and kiss up with Israeli leaders. You’re totally insane. Ayotollah is going to hell and he will be cooked alive forever along with all the nazi and other Jew haters. And we will watch and enjoy. Yes enjoy these evil creeps being tortured.