Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE, announced on Sunday the cancellation of its flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. "Etihad Airways has cancelled its services to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut on Sunday, August 25, in response to the closure of Tel Aviv airport and ongoing regional developments. Tel Aviv flights affected are EY593 from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Tel Aviv (TLV) and EY594 from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi. Beirut flights affected are EY535 from Abu Dhabi to Beirut (BEY) and EY538 from Beirut to Abu Dhabi," an Etihad Airways spokesperson stated to Khaleej Times.
Earlier, reports indicated that Israel had carried out precise strikes in Lebanon to prevent a potential threat from Hezbollah. Israel declared a 48-hour state of emergency at 0300 GMT (7am UAE time) on Sunday following the strikes. Hezbollah retaliated with a significant attack using rockets and drones after one of its commanders was killed in an Israeli operation.
"The declaration on the state of emergency enables the IDF (Israeli military) to issue instructions to the citizens of Israel, including limiting gatherings and closing sites where it may be relevant," explained Yoav Gallant, Israel's defence minister. Meanwhile, Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority announced the resumption of flights to and from Tel Aviv’s main airport Ben Gurion after a temporary suspension due to the military actions against Hezbollah’s targets in Lebanon.
Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, is assisting passengers booked on Israel and Lebanon flights with their travel arrangements. "Etihad is monitoring the situation across the region and continues to maintain close contact with authorities… The safety of our guests and crew is our number one priority and we regret any inconvenience caused by this cancellation," said an Etihad spokesperson.
