Situation Heats Up, Airlines Now Avoid Lebanese-Iran Air Area

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION/shun idota

JAKARTA - Airlines have avoided Iranian and Lebanese airspace and canceled flights to Israel over growing concerns over possible conflicts in the region following the assassination of senior members of the militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah this week.

Singapore Airlines on Friday, August 2, apparently no longer uses Iranian airspace for any route, according to Flightradar24.

Reported by Reuters, EVA Air Taiwan and China Airlines also appeared to have avoided Iran's airspace for flights to Amsterdam on Friday.

In the bulletin, OPSGROUP, a membership-based organization that shares flight risk information, suggested traffic between Asia and Europe to avoid Iranian and Iraqi airspace, a day after sources told Reuters Iran's top officials would meet with representatives of Iran's regional allies from Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen to discuss potential retaliation against Israel.

Many airlines, including American and European airlines, have avoided flying over Iran, especially since the April missile and drone attacks between Iran and Israel.

Singapore Airlines flights to London Heathrow on Friday morning departed for northern Iran via Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, not across Iran as it did the day before, according to Flightradar24.

However, large numbers of airlines are still flying over Iran, including United Arab Emirates airlines Etihad, Emirates, and FlyDubai, as well as Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines.

Over the past two days, Air India. Lufthansa Group Germany, US airlines United Airlines and Delta Air and Italy's ITA Airways said they had suspended flights to Tel Aviv.

This week's airline also canceled and delayed flights to the Lebanese capital, Beirut, following an attack on Israel's occupied Golan Heights on Saturday last week.

Israel blamed the attack on Lebanese-based Hezbollah armed groups, but denied involvement.

Canada on Thursday issued a notice to Canadian aircraft to avoid Lebanese airspace for one month due to flight risks due to military activity.

Britain over the past month has notified pilots of the potential risks of anti-aircraft weaponry and military activity in Lebanese airspace.