ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has temporarily suspended its scheduled flights to Gulf countries amid escalating military situation after Iran launched a retaliatory strike on US base in Qatar, a spokesperson said on Monday. The national flag-carrier announced the suspension of flight operations in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Dubai. This development came after several Gulf countries were on high alert following Iran’s missile attacks on the US military base in Qatar in response to the American air strikes on Tehran’s nuclear sites. “Flights will resume after the situation returns to normal,” the statement read. The spokesperson asked the passengers who were scheduled to travel via different flights to stay updated about their flight status by contacting the PIA call centre. It added that the airline’s reservation department started transferring the travellers’ bookings to alternative flights. Prior to the Iranian attack, Qatar announced today that it had shut down its airspace temporarily, hours after US and British authorities contacted their citizens there recommending that they shelter in place until further notice. Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest US base in the Middle East, which serves as the forward headquarters for US Central Command and accommodates approximately 10,000 troops. The Gulf is home to several US military bases. Bahrain also temporarily shut its airspace after the Iranian attack in Qatar. Bahrain is home to the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, whose area of responsibility includes the Gulf, Red Sea, Arabian Sea and parts of the Indian Ocean. Meanwhile, Kuwait closed its airspace temporarily until further notice amid regional escalationKuwait Airways also suspended flight departures from the country due to regional developments, it said in a post on X. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways says it is re-routing several flights on June 23 and June 24 in response to airspace restrictions in parts of the Middle East, Reuters reported. United Arab Emirates airspace was also closed based on flight paths and air traffic control audio, according to a post on X by the air traffic tracking website Flightradar24 on Monday. Dubai Airports did not comment and referred Reuters to the Dubai government media office.Three Air India flights headed to Doha were diverted to other airports due to the airspace closing, according to a source and data from Flightradar24. Up to 150 flights had been scheduled in and out of Doha on Monday, the data showed. IAG’s Spanish airline Iberia scrapped an earlier plan to resume flights to Doha on Tuesday after the latest airspace closures.