Is Iran Anticipating An Israeli Strike? Tehran Cancels All Flights Until October 7 Morning

All flights from Iran's airports have been suspended due to "operational restrictions," the Civil Aviation Organization stated on Sunday. Iran's official media reports that the cancelation, which started at 9 p.m. local time, will continue until 6 a.m. on Monday. Both domestic and international flights are impacted by this sudden stop at several airports throughout the nation. The cancelation period started on October 6 at 1730 GMT and will go until 0230 GMT the following day, according to the state-run IRNA news agency. The limits have not been given a clear explanation by the authorities, but the cancellations coincide with escalating hostilities between Israel and Iran after a recent missile attack. Iran launched almost 200 missiles toward Israel on Tuesday, the country's second significant attack of the year. Tehran presented the strike as payback for the recent murders of a top Revolutionary Guards officer and terrorist commanders with Iranian ties. Israel, which denounced the attack, has since promised to respond, but it hasn't revealed any details on what it will do. This shutdown of airspace is the second in less than a week. Iran closed its airspace for over two days after the missile incident on Tuesday. Thursday morning saw the return of flights. The closure was ascribed by officials to security concerns, considering the escalating tensions with Israel and the possibility of reprisals. The European Aviation Safety Agency has recommended aircraft to stay out of Iranian airspace till October 31 due of the unrest. As things change, this advise will be continuously reviewed. The importance of Iran's airspace as a conduit for foreign aircraft makes the precautionary notification much more urgent. Iran has increased domestic security measures around key installations, particularly in the oil and gas sector. The oil minister, Mohsen Paknejad, visited Kharg Island on Sunday. This is a significant site since it handles over 90% of Iran's oil exports. Paknejad met with a top Revolutionary Guards Navy commander to discuss security measures for the oil port and surrounding sites. Iran is presently the world's third-largest exporter of oil, with China being the main client in spite of US sanctions. With a 23 million barrel crude storage capacity, the Kharg Island terminal is crucial to Iran's economy.