Frankfurt: Lufthansa Group and Italian ITA Airways on Tuesday extended the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until June 8 amid rising tensions between Israel and Yemen's Houthi group. The two companies were scheduled to resume their flights to Tel Aviv on May 25, but the exchange of attacks between Israel and the Houthis forced them to extend their flight suspension for two more weeks.
According to Anadolu Agency, Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings, decided to prolong the suspension in response to the security situation. On Tuesday, the Greek carrier Aegean also suspended flights to Tel Aviv until May 21, while LOT Polish Airlines extended their suspension until May 25. British Airways has halted flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport through June 14, and Air Canada has extended its flight suspension until September 8.
Since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where nearly 53,600 people have been killed in the ongoing Israeli offensive.