Air France and Gemany’s Lufthansa have both suspended flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut amid rising tensions following Israel’s airstrikes on Lebanon. Air France announced the suspension of its flights scheduled for Sunday and Monday, with a possibility of further extensions depending on the situation in the Middle East. Lufthansa, meanwhile, has extended its suspension of flights to Beirut until the end of September and will not operate flights to Tel Aviv and Tehran until September 2.These moves come as security concerns escalate in the region.
Air France, which typically operates daily services to both cities, had already halted flights to Beirut from July 29 to August 15 but continued operations to Tel Aviv during that period. The airline has not clarified whether its budget subsidiary, Transavia, will also suspend flights to these destinations.
The cancellations follow a surge in violence, with Israel reporting that approximately 100 warplanes launched airstrikes targeting rocket launchers across southern Lebanon to prevent an imminent Hezbollah attack. In retaliation, Hezbollah claimed to have launched hundreds of rockets and drones at military bases and missile defense positions in northern Israel and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.
Air France, which typically operates daily services to both cities, had already halted flights to Beirut from July 29 to August 15 but continued operations to Tel Aviv during that period. The airline has not clarified whether its budget subsidiary, Transavia, will also suspend flights to these destinations.
The cancellations follow a surge in violence, with Israel reporting that approximately 100 warplanes launched airstrikes targeting rocket launchers across southern Lebanon to prevent an imminent Hezbollah attack. In retaliation, Hezbollah claimed to have launched hundreds of rockets and drones at military bases and missile defense positions in northern Israel and the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.
Watch: Israel declares emergency as Hezbollah launches all-Out attack with hundreds of missiles
Hezbollah described its actions as a response to the killing of Fouad Shukur, a founding member and top commander of the group, in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut last month. The group said that the initial stage of their retaliation, aimed at allowing further assaults deeper into Israel, had been completed and that their military operations on Sunday were concluded. Hezbollah also denied Israel’s claims of thwarting their attack.