In response to the recent Hezbollah pager explosions in Lebanon, Lufthansa and Air France have announced the temporary cancellation of flights to Tel Aviv.
The decision comes as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of passengers and crew amid heightened tensions in the region. The suspensions are now in place until at least Thursday 19 September.
Temporary Flight Suspensions
Air France and Lufthansa are among the airlines that have temporarily suspended their services to Tel Aviv. The cancellations are effective immediately and are expected to remain in place for up to 48 hours. The precautionary measure comes amid fears of escalating conflict following yesterday’s developments.
Brussels Airlines released a statement saying they would suspend operations to both Tel Aviv Ben Gurion (TLV) and Teheran Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKA).
“Given the recent changes in the security situation, Lufthansa Group airlines have decided to suspend all flights to and from Tel Aviv (TLV) and Tehran (IKA) with immediate effect.”
“The suspension will remain in place until Thursday, September 19. During this period, all Lufthansa Group airlines will also avoid Israeli and Iranian airspace. We are closely monitoring the situation and will reassess in the coming day.”
Hezbollah Pager Explosions
The flight suspension action follows yesterday’s events which saw 9 people including a child killed. This occurred when handheld pagers used by Hezbollah operatives exploded during use. A further 2,800 people were reported injured amid the simultaneous explosions.
The Hezbollah pager explosions occurred in various locations across Lebanon. It is a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between the Lebanese militant group and the Israeli government.
These attacks involved the distribution of pagers containing explosive devices, which detonated when activated. The Iranian-backed group Hezbollah confirmed the deaths of eight of their people. The group said that the pagers belonged to employees of their units and institutions.
It is uncertain whether further airlines will follow suit and impose flight restrictions as a precautionary measure.
While the situation remains fluid, the airlines have emphasized that the decision to cancel flights was made with the safety of passengers and crew as the top priority. They are closely monitoring the situation and will resume services to Tel Aviv as soon as conditions permit.
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