In response to rising tensions in the Middle East due to the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, Air India announced on Friday the suspension of all flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 8.
“Due to the ongoing situation in parts of the Middle East, we have immediately suspended our scheduled flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 8, 2024. We are closely monitoring the situation and are providing support to passengers with confirmed bookings during this period by offering a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation fees. The safety of our guests and crew remains our top priority,” read the official statement on X.
The airline also provided the phone numbers of their 24/7 contact center—011-69329333 and 011-69329999—for passengers seeking more information.
Israel and Iran have a longstanding rivalry in the region, with Iran backing groups like Hezbollah against Israel and Western powers.
The region has been tense for a while now since Israel and Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah began trading fire with the latter starting the attack on October 8 last year. This was a day after the Palestinian militant group Hamas attacked communities in southern Israel and sparked the Gaza war.
The most recent in a series of attacks was on Wednesday when the Shiite Islamic militant group said its senior commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the capital Beirut.
Recent events have also shown that other Iran-backed groups in the region actively playing a role in the conflict. Yemen-based Houthis attacked Western ships passing through the Red Sea earlier this year. They also pledged allegiance to the Palestinian cause and were able to cause global disruptions in trade for some time.