RwandAir has resumed its flights to the Middle East and the Gulf region following the de-escalation of tensions between Iran and Israel that had disrupted air travel. The national carrier had suspended flights to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday, June 23, after Qatar temporarily closed its airspace amid growing concerns over regional security. ALSO READ: Qatar closes airspace amid fears of regional conflict On the same day, Iran launched a missile strike on a U.S. airbase in Qatar, in retaliation for U.S. bombers dropping 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian underground nuclear facilities over the weekend. Speaking to The New Times, Olivier Ahayo, RwandAir Communications Officer confirmed that operations to the region resumed on Tuesday afternoon. “We resumed our operations yesterday in the afternoon,” he said. RwandAir added that passengers affected by the temporary suspension can reschedule their tickets at no extra cost. Doha’s Hamad International Airport, the busiest in the Middle East, is a key destination for the airline. Dubai also remains one of RwandAir’s most popular routes, with daily flights maintained over the years. ALSO READ: Israel and Iran agree to ceasefire The situation in the region has since calmed after Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump. “Please do not violate it!” Trump urged both sides in a post on his Truth Social platform. The latest round of conflict between Israel and Iran erupted on Friday, June 13, after Israel launched airstrikes on nuclear and military facilities in Iran, alleging that Iran was close to developing a nuclear weapon. Israeli officials stated the strikes became necessary after diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear program reached a deadlock. ALSO READ: RwandAir cancels flights to Doha, Dubai In response, Iran fired a barrage of ballistic missiles at Israel over several days, leading to significant damage in various Israeli cities.
