London (CNN Business) United Airlines has suspended one of its flights and other airlines are re-routing planes to avoid the Gulf of Oman after Iran downed an American drone operating in the area.

United UAL flight between Newark and Mumbai was suspended starting Thursday, the airline said.

"Given current events in Iran, United has conducted a thorough safety and security review of our India service through Iranian airspace," United said in a statement.

The move to suspend service came as the Federal Aviation Administration banned US airlines from operating planes over parts of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman

The US regulator said in a statement that "heightened military activities and increased political tensions" in the region could "place commercial flights at risk."

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