Karbala Governor Denies Reports of Passenger Plane Crash; Iraqi Airspace Closed 72 Hours

KARBALA, Iraq — The governor of Karbala denied reports that a passenger aircraft crashed in the desert within city limits, saying the claims were unfounded. The Civil Aviation Authority had published reports on Sunday about a civilian plane crash in Karbala, but Governor Nasif al-Khattabi said no aircraft accident occurred. During the period when the false reports circulated, the Civil Aviation Authority temporarily closed Iraqi airspace to all incoming, outgoing and transit flights. The closure was set to last 72 hours. The airspace restriction was described as a precautionary measure following Iran's missile attacks against Israel. No further details about the closure or the initial crash reports were immediately available.