FAA Bans All Flights Around Iran Due to Military Activity

After Iran shot down an unmanned drone operated by the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration has banned all American carriers and commercial operators from flying over the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

According to ABCNews.com, the FAA issued the notice-to-airman late Thursday, which applies to all air carriers and commercial operators in the United States, but not U.S.-registered planes for foreign airlines.

In addition, foreign British Airways, Qantas, Lufthansa and KLM have announced they will also avoid the area as a precaution.

“All flight operations in the overwater area of the Tehran Flight Information Region (FIR) (OIIX) above the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman only are prohibited until further notice due to heightened military activities and increased political tensions in the region, which present an inadvertent risk to U.S. civil aviation operations and potential for miscalculation or misidentification,” FAA officials said in a statement.

ABC News also reported U.S. President Donald Trump initially ordered a military strike against Iran Thursday, but reversed course on the decision. The tensions were elevated after Iran shot down a RQ-4A Global Hawk drone flying in international airspace.

Officials in Iran said the drone was flying over its airspace when it was downed.