Qatar aviation authority allowing limited air traffic

Qatar's aviation authority said Friday the Gulf state would partially reopen to limited air traffic after it closed its airspace at the start of a retaliatory Iranian missile and drone campaign following US-Israeli strikes.

"Qatar Civil Aviation Authority announces the partial resumption of air navigation in the State of Qatar, through designated navigational contingency routes with limited operational capacity," the body said.

"This phase includes the operation of a limited number of flights designated for passenger evacuation, in addition to the operation of air cargo flights," it added.

The war in the Middle East has engulfed the otherwise stable Gulf and blindsided travellers who thought they were headed to one of the region's safest holiday destinations.

In a statement, Qatar Airways said following the confirmation of a safe corridor it would operate repatriation flights on March 7 to London, Paris, Madrid, Rome and Frankfurt.

It added the flights would prioritise stranded families, elderly passengers and those with urgent medical needs.

Hamad International Airport, Qatar's main airport, confirmed "the operation of a limited number of flights solely for the evacuation of stranded passengers and air cargo operations, on Saturday, March 7."

"Hamad International Airport clarifies that the operation of additional flights in the coming days will remain subject to ongoing assessment of the security situation," it added in a statement. 

On Friday, Qatar's defence ministry said its territory was targeted by 10 Iranian drones, nine of which its military intercepted while one struck an uninhabited area, without causing any casualties.

On Tuesday, the Gulf state said Hamad International Airport had been targeted in Iranian attacks but all of them had been thwarted.