Flights at Beirut airport have been cancelled or delayed as tensions between Israel and the armed political group Hezbollah escalate. Lebanon’s Middle East Airlines (MEA) said the disruption to its schedule was related to insurance risks.
Lufthansa (LHAG.DE) said on Monday it had suspended five flights to and from Beirut operated by group airlines Swiss International Air Lines, Eurowings and Lufthansa until July 30 “out of an abundance of caution”.
A rocket attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Saturday killed 12 teenagers and children, raising concerns that Israel and Iran-backed groups could spiral into a full-scale war.
On Sunday, Israel’s security cabinet authorized the government to respond to the attack. Hezbollah has denied responsibility for the attack. This attack is the deadliest attack in Israel or the territory occupied by Israel. The war started after Hamas attacked Gaza on October 7. This attack has spread on many fronts.
Beirut airport’s flight information board and flight tracking website Flightradar24 show that Turkish Airlines (THYAO.IS) also cancelled two flights on Sunday night.
Turkey-based budget airline SunExpress, Turkish Airlines subsidiary Ajet, Greek airline Aegean Airlines, Ethiopian Air and MEA also cancelled flights scheduled to land in Beirut on Monday, according to Flightradar24.
The airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport is Lebanon’s only airport. It has been targeted in the country’s civil war and previous fighting with Israel, including the last war between Hezbollah and Israel in 2006.
On Sunday, the Foreign Ministry said it had delayed the departure of some flights scheduled to land in Beirut overnight. Additional delays to flights scheduled to land on Monday were announced due to “technical reasons related to the distribution of insurance risks for aircraft between Lebanon and other destinations,” the Foreign Ministry said.
Cross-border firing between Hezbollah and Israeli forces has increased since the Gaza war began. The conflict has disrupted flights and shipping across the region, including reciprocal drone and missile attacks between Israel and Iran in April.
Lufthansa has already suspended night flights to and from Beirut for the month of July due to “current developments” in the Middle East.