India, March 1 -- An escalating conflict in the Middle East involving Iran, the United States, and Israel has thrown global air travel into chaos, forcing the closure of major airspace over the Gulf region and cancelling flights worldwide. In a dramatic escalation, Iran launched ballistic and drone strikes on cities including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, causing damage to civilian infrastructure and forcing aviation authorities to halt commercial operations as a safety measure. These developments have sparked one of the most disruptive periods for international travel since the COVID-19 pandemic.

Airlines have responded by suspending flights to and from the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Iran, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers strand...