"On Thursday, Azerbaijan's foreign ministry said that Iranian drones attacked the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. It's an exclave to the north of Iran, which is separated from the rest of Azerbaijan by Armenia. One drone damaged the terminal at Nakhchivan Airport, and another fell near a school building, the ministry said. Two civilians were injured, it added."
"Since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, airlines have been unable to fly over the Persian Gulf, which was previously the main route. Instead, they have been rerouting through Saudi Arabia or the Caucasus. The region consists of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan, and links the Black Sea with the Caspian Sea."
"Most airlines have been unable to fly over Russia since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The Caucasus is not without its own tensions, either. In 2023, Azerbaijan launched a military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh, a region within its territory that was governed and mostly populated by ethnic Armenians."
Iranian drones attacked Azerbaijan's Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic on Thursday, damaging the airport terminal and injuring two civilians. Azerbaijan subsequently closed its southern airspace sector. This closure further restricts flight routes between Europe and Asia, which have already been disrupted since US and Israeli strikes on Iran on Saturday forced airlines to avoid the Persian Gulf. Airlines now reroute through Saudi Arabia or the Caucasus region, which comprises Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus corridor has become increasingly vital despite regional tensions, including Azerbaijan's 2023 military offensive against Nagorno-Karabakh. Most airlines cannot fly over Russia since Ukraine's 2022 invasion, compounding routing challenges.
Read at Business Insider
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