Breaking

A major communications failure in the US air traffic control system resulted in the grounding of all departing flights for several hours, causing thousands of flight cancellations across the country. The disruption affected domestic and international flights, including services to Israel.

US Homeland Security Chief stated there was ‘no indication as of yet that this was a nefarious attack,’ while the Transportation Secretary attributed the failure to ‘old hardware’ in the system. The incident highlights ongoing infrastructure concerns within critical US aviation systems.

A United Airlines flight to Tel Aviv was eventually cleared for departure following extended delays and emergency briefings. The flight crew conducted repeated emergency procedure briefings and emphasised safety protocols with passengers before takeoff, including instructions on emergency procedures in case of mid-flight diversion.

The incident represents a significant disruption to US transportation infrastructure and international aviation services, though officials have ruled out intentional sabotage at this stage.

Sources: Times of Israel, www.israelhayom.co.il

Update 03:15: US air traffic control system failure causes nationwide ground stop affecting all major airports. Authorities confirm aging infrastructure, not cyberattack, caused communication failures in the outdated system.

Update 04:45: Multiple sources (Times of Israel, Israel Hayom) confirm same incident with consistent details