Flights At Lebanon's Beirut Airport Canceled Anticipating Israel's Counterattack On Hezbollah

UNSPLASH/Anna Gru ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - A number of flights at Beirut airport were delayed until they were postponed in anticipation of risks as the conflict between Israel and the Hezbollah armed group escalated.

The rocket attack that killed 12 teenagers and children in Israel's occupied Golan Heights on Saturday, July 27, adds to concerns that Israel and Iran-backed groups could engage in a full-scale war.

Israel's security cabinet on Sunday authorized the government to respond to the attack. Hezbollah denies responsibility for the deadliest attacks in Israel or territory Israel has annexed since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Lufthansa and Eurowings Lufthansa canceled three flights to Beirut scheduled for Monday, July 29, afternoon, according to information boards at the airport and flight tracking site Flightradar24.

Turkish-based airline SunExpress, a subsidiary of Turkish Airlines AJet, Greek airlines Aegean Airlines, Ethiopian Air and MEA also canceled flights scheduled to land in Beirut today.

Beirut-Racific Hariri International Airport is the only airport in Lebanon.

Middle East Airlines said it was delaying the departure of several flights that would land in Beirut on Sunday.

Additional delays for Monday's flight landing were later announced for "technical reasons related to insurance risk distribution for aircraft between Lebanon and other destinations", the MEA said.

Hezbollah and the Israeli military have stepped up cross-border attacks since the Gaza war began. The conflict has disrupted flights and shipments across the region, including during drone and missile attacks between Israel and Iran in April.