Lufthansa has suspended its night flights to Beirut, responding to the escalating security situation in Lebanon and tensions along the Israeli border. The suspension, effective from Saturday, will remain until the end of July, according to a company spokesperson.
Daytime Flights Remain Unaffected
While night flights are halted, Lufthansa’s daytime operations to and from Beirut will continue as scheduled. Swiss International Air Lines, a Lufthansa subsidiary, has also shifted its Beirut night flights to daytime, citing the political developments at the Lebanon-Israel border.
US Embassy Issues Travel Warning
The US embassy in Lebanon issued an alert on Monday, confirming adjustments to flight schedules by Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines, and Eurowings, another Lufthansa subsidiary. The alert advised US citizens to reconsider travel to Lebanon due to the security situation.
State Department Advisory
At a Monday press briefing, State Department spokesperson Vedant Patel reiterated that while Lebanon is at a Level 3 travel advisory, meaning citizens should reconsider travel, southern Lebanon, the Syrian border, and refugee settlements remain at Level 4, indicating citizens should avoid travel there.
Context of Escalating Tensions
The suspension comes amid ongoing clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli military, which have intensified since Hezbollah’s attack on Israel in October following the Gaza war. Recent incidents include the death of high-ranking Hezbollah commander Taleb Sami Abdullah in an Israeli strike and Hezbollah’s retaliatory rocket attacks causing fires in northern Israel.
International Concerns
These developments reflect broader international concerns, with countries like India, Jordan, Australia, Canada, and several European nations, including Germany, issuing travel warnings against Lebanon. Last month, US special envoy Amos Hochstein visited Beirut to attempt to de-escalate the situation.
Previous Suspensions
This is not the first time Lufthansa Group has suspended flights due to regional instability. In April, the airline temporarily halted flights to Beirut, Amman, Erbil, Tel Aviv, and Tehran following an Iranian attack on Israel.
The ongoing adjustments to flight schedules underscore the heightened international apprehension regarding the security situation in Lebanon.