US pilots warned about flying over Iranian territory amid rising tensions in Middle East

Guidance comes after Washington send naval warships and bombers to region

Dubai Airport is one of the busiest in the world (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

US airlines have been warned by diplomats that their planes face a risk of being “misidentified” as they fly over the Gulf amid heightened tensions between America and Iran,

A notice from the Federal Aviation Association (FAA) published on 16 May underlined the risks the tensions pose to a region crucial to global air travel.

The guidance warned US pilots to be cautious in flying over the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, as there is “heightened military activities and increased political tension” between the two states.

Washington has dispatched naval warships and bombers to the region in an attempt to protect American interests, diplomats, and forces from what it called Iranian aggression.

The FAA warning only applies to US registered aircraft, pilots, and US carriers. The UK is understood not to have issued a similar warning.

The warning stated that tensions may “present an increasing inadvertent risk to US civil aviation operations due to the potential for miscalculation or misidentification".

The FAA also warned of potential GPS interference and communications jamming in the area, which they say may occur with “little to no warning”.

The region is home to major hub airports, including Dubai International, the busiest international airport in the world.