British Airways said on Wednesday it was suspending its flights to and from Tel Aviv amid safety concerns as Israel intensifies its military response to Hamas’s weekend attack.
The suspension came hours after the United Kingdom airline turned around one of its flights from London’s Heathrow Airport to Tel Aviv in mid-air, citing fears over the security situation in Israel and the region.
Israel maintained its bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday while also striking targets in southern Lebanon, as armed wings of Palestinian militant groups continue to fire rockets.
“Safety is always our highest priority and following the latest assessment of the situation we’re suspending our flights to and from Tel Aviv,” British Airways said in a statement.
“We’re contacting customers booked to travel to or from Tel Aviv to apologise for the inconvenience and offer options including a full refund and rebooking with another airline or with British Airways at a later date.
“We continue to monitor the situation in the region closely,” it added.
Numerous major airlines, including Air France-KLM, Lufthansa and the big US international carriers, have all suspended flights to Tel Aviv since Hamas launched its assault on Israel on Saturday.
British Airways Virgin Atlantic continues to fly between London Heathrow and the Israeli city, however.
Fears of a regional conflagration have surged amid expectations of a looming Israeli ground incursion into Gaza, the crowded enclave from where Hamas launched its land, air and sea attack on Saturday.
The death toll in Israel has surged above 900 from the worst attack in the country’s 75-year history, while Gaza officials have reported 765 people killed so far, and Israel’s army said the bodies of roughly 1,500 militants had been found.
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