US-Israel war on Iran disrupts 54 Hong Kong-Mideast flights as airspace remains closed

The number of flights between Hong Kong and the Middle East disrupted by the US-Israeli strikes on Iran has risen to 54, as ongoing airspace closures force Gulf tour suspensions until at least next week.About 13,000 of roughly 32,000 flights scheduled to operate into and out of the Middle East have been cancelled since last Saturday, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.A check by the South China Morning Post on Tuesday found that flights between Hong Kong and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) were the most affected, with six passenger and 21 cargo services cancelled and two delayed.Three passenger and 15 cargo flights between Hong Kong and Doha, Qatar, were also cancelled.Two Cathay Pacific flights between Hong Kong and Riyadh, as well as a pair of Etihad Airways services between the city and Abu Dhabi, were also cancelled. One Riyadh-bound and two Abu Dhabi-bound cargo flights were grounded.Airspace remained closed over Iran, Iraq and Israel, while several Gulf countries imposed partial or temporary closures. A limited number of flights were able to depart parts of the UAE, as the US government urged its citizens in 13 Middle Eastern countries to evacuate.Hong Kong-based tour agency WWPKG has suspended all tours to the Middle East until March 10, according to executive director Yuen Chun-ning.