TSA agent

Airports, Ports of Entry on High Alert After Iranian Missile Attack on U.S. Troops

Airlines are also suspending flights to and from Iraq, Iran and other countries due to threats of missile attacks, one of which is suspected to have downed a Ukrainian passenger plane.

Major airports across the country are on heightened alert following Iran’s missile attack on bases that contain American troops in Iraq on Wednesday.

Ports of entry were already on a higher alert following the continuing fallout from the killing of the Iranian military leader Qasem Suleimani last week. The strikes are unlikely to change security levels, according to Gil Kerlikowske, who oversaw Customs and Border Protection for three years in the Obama administration.

“CBP will continue to be on this heightened sense of awareness, so I don’t see a significant change in posture,” Kerlikowske told USA TODAY. “I think that CBP will just remain in that heightened alert.”

The Department of Homeland Security published a National Terrorism Advisory System bulletin on Saturday, stating that while there was no indication of a “specific, credible threat” to the U.S., an attack could come with little to no warning.

On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration said it had notified American-based air carriers that they should suspend any operations that would involve flying over Iran, Iraq, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. The announcement came a day before a Ukrainian plane carrying 176 people crashed in Iran, which officials suspect was struck by a missile.

“The FAA will continue closely monitoring events in the Middle East,” the FAA said in a statement. “We continue coordinating with our national security partners and sharing information with U.S. air carriers and foreign civil aviation authorities.”

American Airlines and Delta Air Lines said none of its operations were affected by the order. But other airlines said they have had to suspend flights over the countries indefinitely and adjust routes for flights from Europe. Those airlines include Singapore Airlines, Air France and Qantas Airways. But Qatar Airways said it would continue its flights to Iraq as normal.

Airport officials maintain that their security practices will remain high regardless of the current threat landscape.

“Passengers are always subject to random screening anywhere on airport grounds," Julie Rodriguez, deputy aviation director for the Phoenix Aviation Department, told USA TODAY. "We employ multiple layers of security throughout our airport system and work closely with the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) and our law enforcement partners."

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • EasyGate SPT and SPD

    EasyGate SPT SPD

    Security solutions do not have to be ordinary, let alone unattractive. Having renewed their best-selling speed gates, Cominfo has once again demonstrated their Art of Security philosophy in practice — and confirmed their position as an industry-leading manufacturers of premium speed gates and turnstiles.