Airlines suspend flights to Lebanon for fear of escalation between Israel and Hezbollah

Beirut, July 29 (IANS) Several airlines on Monday announced the suspension of their flights to Lebanon, while some Western countries urged their citizens to leave the country as soon as possible, fearing an escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.

In the border region in southern Lebanon, there is a state of fear and tension in the face of repeated Israeli threats to launch a military operation that would cost Hezbollah “a high price.” On Saturday, twelve people were killed and several others injured in a rocket attack on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

The German Lufthansa Group announced on Monday that it had suspended its flights to Beirut until August 5 as a “precautionary measure” due to the current situation in the Middle East.

French airlines Air France, Transavia and Royal Jordanian Airlines also suspended flights to Beirut on Monday and Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

Turkish Airlines canceled Sunday evening flights, while Aegean Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines canceled their Monday flights to Beirut.

Meanwhile, Lebanon’s national carrier Middle East Airlines announced on Sunday that it had postponed the resumption of some flights to Beirut and the start of some of its flights from Sunday evening to Monday morning.

In addition, the US Embassy in Beirut urged its citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.

The embassy posted a video clip on the social media platform X in which Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter urged U.S. citizens who do not wish to leave Lebanon to “prepare to seek protection in their place of residence for an extended period of time.”

The Norwegian Embassy in Beirut posted a travel advisory on its Facebook page urging “all citizens to leave Lebanon” in light of the escalation, adding: “If the situation worsens, travel options outside Lebanon may be restricted.”

Germany and Italy also called on their citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible.

–IANS

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