Friday, August 2, 2024 Starting on Wednesday, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines canceled flights to Israel after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran. The assassination of Haniyeh occurred in Tehran early Wednesday morning, raising concerns that the Middle East conflict could extend beyond its current borders. While Hamas and Iran accused Israel of killing the Palestinian militant leader, Israel has not claimed responsibility.
United Airlines canceled its daily flight to Tel Aviv from Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, scheduled to depart at 3:30 p.m., citing “security reasons.
” Delta Air Lines also canceled flights from New York to Tel Aviv starting Wednesday, continuing through at least Friday, and issued travel waivers for all customers booked to travel to or from Tel Aviv before August 14. The region had already seen cancellations after a strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last Saturday killed 12 children and teenagers, prompting fears of escalating violence. Germany’s Lufthansa Group announced on Monday that three of its airlines—Lufthansa, Swiss, and Eurowings—suspended flights to and from Beirut until August 5, according to the Associated Press.
Air France canceled some flights, while other airlines altered their schedules. The U.S.
State Department on Wednesday advised against travel to northern Israel within 2.5 miles of the Lebanese and Syrian borders and upgraded its Lebanon travel advisory to a Level 4, ur.