Airlines avoid Iran and Iraq airspace

PARIS – Several international airlines said Wednesday they would avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace after Tehran fired ballistic missiles at bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq. Lufthansa and its Austrian Airlines unit nonetheless decided to maintain flights to the Iranian capital, Tehran, this week, a statement said. Iran launched more than 20 missiles at bases housing U.S. troops in the early hours, officials in Washington and Tehran said. Iran's supreme leader called the attacks a "slap in the face" after a U.S. drone strike killed Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani near Baghdad international airport last week. In Germany, Lufthansa said it had halted overflights of Iran and Iraq until further notice.