2 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
German airline Lufthansa announced Monday that several of its airlines have temporarily suspended night flights to and from the Lebanese capital, Beirut, due to the worsening conflict between the Israeli army and the Lebanese Shiite militia party Hezbollah.
“Due to the current developments in the Middle East, Lufthansa Group airlines will suspend their night flights to and from Beirut from 29 June to 31 July,” the group said in response to a question from German news agency dpa, although it added that daytime flights would continue to be offered without changes.
In fact, the US Embassy in Lebanon has indicated that two other airlines in the group, Swiss and Eurowings, are also “adjusting flight schedules” between the aforementioned dates, “which in some cases results in flight cancellations at short notice.”
“We encourage U.S. citizens traveling to or from Lebanon to monitor the status of their flight, be aware that itineraries may change with little or no warning, and make alternative plans,” reads a statement posted on its website.
Finally, the diplomatic mission reminded its citizens that Washington “strongly urges” them to reconsider travel to Lebanon, as “the security environment remains complex and can change rapidly.” It warned that the Lebanese government “cannot guarantee the protection of American citizens against sudden outbreaks of violence and armed conflict.”
The Israeli army and Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and has significant political clout in Lebanon, have been engaged in a series of clashes since October 8, a day after the attacks on Israeli territory by the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and other Palestinian factions, which left nearly 1,200 dead and some 240 kidnapped.
Tensions have been rising in recent weeks, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently warning that the Israeli army is “prepared for a very powerful action” on the border with Lebanon, while the army itself claims to have a plan ready for this. For his part, Hezbollah’s number two, Naim Qassem, said that an expansion of the conflict would lead to “devastation and destruction” in Israel.
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