The closure prompted speculation on social media, but officials stressed that the halt in operations was purely technical and repairs were already underway.

Ministry spokesman Maytham Alsafi said the fault required "immediate precautionary action", adding that technical teams had begun assessments and repairs, the state-run Iraqi News Agency reported.

He said the airport would reopen "within hours" once maintenance work and final checks were completed.

Alsafi rejected claims of domestic or foreign security risks behind the closure, calling the reports baseless and urging media outlets to verify information through official channels.