Air India has suspended its flights to Tel Aviv amid rising tensions between Israel and Iran following the killings of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and Hezbollah senior general Fuad Shukr in Beirut.
Air India is the only carrier operating services between India and Israel, operating 10 flights per week between Delhi and Tel Aviv.
In a statement on X, the airline said, “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 August 8, 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,” it added.
The Israeli government has remained silent on Haniyeh’s death in Iran’s capital, though Hamas has pointed the finger at Israel. Iranian authorities have promised retaliation.
The military branch of Hamas declared that the loss of Haniyeh, commonly regarded as the organisation’s political chief, would escalate the conflict with Israel and have significant consequences.
Hamas launched an attack on Israel in early October 2023, resulting in about 1,200 fatalities. In response, Israel has committed to eliminating Hamas. Shortly before Haniyeh was targeted, Israeli forces reported killing a high-ranking Hezbollah official named Shukr in Lebanon’s capital. Israel suspects Shukr’s involvement in a recent rocket strike that claimed 12 lives in the Golan Heights, an area under Israeli control. However, Hezbollah has rejected any connection to this incident.
First Published: Aug 02 2024 | 5:18 PM IST
