ALBAWABA - Lufthansa confirmed that it has suspended its flights to Tel Aviv until Aug. 8 amid rising tension between Israel and Iran. It also added to extend the suspension to Beirut, Lebanon until Aug. 12.
A spokesperson of the German airline said: "Due to current developments, the Lufthansa group is once again adjusting its service to the Middle East."
The announcement comes a day after Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the Iranian capital of Tehran on July 31 during a visit to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Yesterday, United Airlines, which provides 14 weekly flights to Tel Aviv, said it will not be operating any flights in the next few days. Similar cancellations have been issued by Delta Airlines for the upcoming 48 hours.
British Airways had been reported to have chosen to suspend operations, according to i24 News, with all impacted flights making a final landing in Larnaca rather than continuing on to Tel Aviv as planned.
In its first statement, Hamas said the movement's leader was killed in a "treacherous raid by the Zionist on his residence in Tehran" accusing the Israeli government of carrying out the attack. However, Israel has not released any statement confirming or denying their responsibility.
Reports revealed that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has directed the Revolutionary Guard to prepare for both attack and defense strategies in response to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.
