Tel Aviv, June 22: Israel closed its airspace to all incoming and outgoing flights on Sunday following U.S. airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, a move signaling heightened security concerns amid escalating tensions in the region.
The Israeli Airports Authority announced the shutdown without specifying its duration, stating only that the suspension was “due to recent developments.” The closure came hours after the United States launched strikes on three nuclear-related sites in Iran—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—marking a dramatic expansion of American involvement in Israel’s ongoing campaign against Tehran’s nuclear program.
The U.S. action, which follows weeks of Israeli operations targeting Iran’s missile systems and air defences, has drawn widespread concern over the possibility of a wider regional conflict.
Despite the severity of the attacks, Iranian authorities said no radioactive contamination had been detected at any of the impacted nuclear facilities. Iran’s National Nuclear Safety System Centre reported that radiation monitoring systems showed no abnormal readings following the strikes.
“There is no danger to the residents living around the aforementioned sites,” the agency said in a statement carried by state media.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) also noted that previous Israeli strikes on nuclear infrastructure had not caused any recorded release of radioactive material into surrounding areas.
While Iran has condemned the U.S. strikes as acts of unprovoked aggression, and vowed retaliation, its officials were quick to assert that the nuclear sites remain secure for now. However, the situation remains volatile, with both airspace closures and diplomatic fallout reflecting a rapidly deteriorating security environment.
