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German aviation group Lufthansa instructed its employees to prepare to leave Israel and announced it would cancel all flights to and from the country starting Thursday, according to Israeli media reports, as tensions escalate over potential US military action against Iran.
The airline, which operates daily flights out of Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, joins a growing list of European carriers suspending service to Israel. Channel 12 reported that Italy's flag carrier ITA Airways canceled its evening flight from Rome to Tel Aviv, while Austrian Airlines also scrapped its scheduled evening service to the Israeli city.
The flight cancellations come amid mounting tensions over possible US military action against Iran. Washington has cited what it describes as the Iranian government's crackdown on demonstrators during nationwide protests sweeping the country as justification for potential intervention.
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The coordinated flight cancellations by multiple European airlines suggest heightened concern about regional security. Lufthansa's decision to evacuate staff represents a significant escalation in airline risk assessments for travel to Israel, going beyond temporary flight suspensions to include personnel withdrawals.
Austrian Airlines, which is part of the Lufthansa Group, made its cancellation decision in coordination with the parent company's broader assessment of the security situation. ITA Airways acted independently in canceling its Rome-Tel Aviv evening service.
The suspensions affect both passenger and cargo operations on the affected routes, though the airlines have not indicated how long the cancellations will remain in effect or whether they plan to resume service pending changes in the regional security situation.
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