New Delhi: Air India has suspended all flights to and from Israel, effective immediately until August 8, amid escalating tensions in the Middle East, according to the airline.
“In view of the ongoing situation in parts of the Middle East, we have suspended scheduled operation of our flights to and from Tel Aviv with immediate effect up to and including 08 August 2024,” Air India said in a post on X.
According to Reuters, airlines are avoiding Iranian and Lebanese airspace and canceling flights to Israel and Lebanon amid growing concerns over potential conflict in the region, following the assassination of Hamas’s politburo and the killing of a top Hezbollah commander this week.
Over the past two days, Germany's Lufthansa Group, U.S. carriers United Airlines and Delta Air, Italy's ITA Airways and other airlines also suspended flights to Israel.
“if an all-out war erupts in the Middle East, civil aviation will likely face risks from drones and missiles crossing airways, as well as an increased threat of GPS spoofing. This growing phenomenon, especially around Lebanon and Israel, involves militaries and other actors broadcasting false signals that mislead a plane's GPS system,” they said.