ISLAMABAD – The Federal Aviation Administration has warned US airlinesflying over the Gulf to exercise caution “due to heightened militaryactivities and increased political tensions in the region.”
The advisory, which also covers airspace over the Gulf of Oman, comes amidrising tensions between the US and Iran.
Increased tensions in the region “present an increasing inadvertent risk toUS civil aviation operations due to the potential for miscalculation ormis-identification, said the FAA advisory released late Thursday.
The regulator also warned that aircraft flying in the area could encounter”inadvertent GPS interference and communications jamming, which could occurwith little to no warning.”
Washington has deployed an aircraft carrier group and B-52 bombers to theregion against what it claims is an imminent threat from Tehran.
President Donald Trump’s administration has also ordered non-essentialdiplomatic staff out of Iraq, citing threats from Iranian-backed Iraqiarmed groups.
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The White House however has sent mixed signals in recent days, amidmultiple US media reports of infighting in Trump’s cabinet over how hard topush Washington’s arch foe.
According to US media reports, Trump’s long-hawkish national securityadvisor John Bolton is pushing a hard line on Iran, but others in theadministration are resisting.
The White House and Pentagon have been under pressure to demonstrate thereason for the huge buildup in forces and heightened rhetoric of the pasttwo weeks.
US coalition partners in Iraq had suggested earlier this week that thethreat level there had not risen significantly, and members of Congressdemanded to see the information behind the administration’s apparentpreparation for possible conflict. -APP/AFP
