Flights at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., were halted for several hours on Tuesday, July 15, 2026, resulting in over 300 delays and at least 126 cancellations. These disruptions stemmed from heightened security measures to protect Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi during his visit amid ongoing tensions with Iran, sources familiar with the situation told CBS News.

Commercial flights were postponed from taking off or landing starting at 11 a.m. The airport operates within one of the nation's most congested and tightly controlled airspaces, where commercial and military flights navigate around federal buildings in Washington and northern Virginia.

White House and Federal Aviation Administration officials coordinated and shared timing updates throughout al-Zaidi's visit to minimize the impact. A senior administration official noted that some planes holding in the air were allowed to land, and those on the ground were permitted to depart.

President Trump hosted Prime Minister al-Zaidi, who was elected in May, for discussions on the future of U.S.-Iraqi bilateral relations during his first visit to the United States. Trump remarked, "It wasn't scheduled, but we are going to do it on the fly because we have a tremendous chemistry together."

In a related security context, last month the FBI announced it foiled a plot to attack a UFC fight at the White House involving snipers and explosive-laden drones, leading to indictments of eight individuals.

Sources