Air India suspends Tel Aviv flights amid escalating Middle East tensions

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, August 2, 2024: Air India today suspended its flights to and from Israel’s Tel Aviv with immediate effect till August 8 amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.

"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 8 August, 2024. We are continuously monitoring the situation and are extending support to our passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Tel Aviv during this period, with a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges. Safety of our guests and crew remains our foremost priority," Air India said in a statement.

Air India had on Thursday evening cancelled a scheduled flight from New Delhi to Tel Aviv citing operational reasons.

The Middle East has seen heightened tensions since war broke out between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas. The ongoing conflict has seen over 35,000 people die with its political fallout reaching several countries in the region including, Iran, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria and Jordan.

The tensions were exacerbated when a bomb detonated in Iran’s capital Tehran, killing the political chief of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh. Iran has blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s assassination with the country’s religious head, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei even calling for a "direct" attack on Israel.

This escalation has prompted many countries to tread with caution in the region.