Several airlines have suspended services to Lebanon’s main international airport as tensions escalate between Israel and the Hezbollah militia group.
Deutsche Lufthansa AG, along with its units Swiss International and Eurowings, said it will halt flights to and from Beirut until Aug. 6, while Greece’s Aegean Airlines has canceled some flights and is assessing the situation on a daily basis. Qatar Airways will adjust its schedule to ensure all flights to Beirut operate during daytime, according to a spokesperson.
The actions follow a rocket strike on the Golan Heights on Sunday, which killed 12 youngsters at a football field and risked triggering the all-out conflict between Israel with Hezbollah that’s been feared for months. Israel says it has evidence the rocket that hit the town of Majdal Shams was fired by Hezbollah, something the group denies.
MEA has parked a number of aircraft outside the country in Jordan, Turkey, and Cyprus since October as insurers fretted over the possibility of a wider war in the region. As a result of the displacements, the carrier has been recalibrating routes to accommodate lower demand and the smaller operating fleet.