The increasing tensions in the border area between Israel and Lebanon have caused a number of airlines, especially from Europe, to cancel flight activities in the area.
German airline group Lufthansa Group said Monday that its three airlines – Lufthansa, Swiss and Eurowings – have decided to suspend flights to and from Beirut until at least August 5. Air France has also done the same for some of its flights.
However, for Hadi Sharqawi, a Lebanese student studying in Italy, the flight cancellation did not stop him from seeing his family in Lebanon.
“Those threats did not affect my decision at all to come to Lebanon. Even if the threats were real, we would still come to Lebanon, especially to the south,” Sharqawi told the Associated Press.
Mohammad Mokhalid (71), who comes from the village of Jarjoug in southern Lebanon and is on his way to Rafic Hariri airport in Beirut to pick up his daughter and granddaughter, said the same thing. According to Mokhalid, most Lebanese people are used to the threat of war.
“We often hear about airstrikes. The sound of Israeli jets does not affect us because southern Lebanon is used to these things. We are not afraid of anything,” Mokhalid said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Monday (27/9) to take strong retaliation against Hezbollah after a rocket attack last weekend that killed 12 children in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Israel accused Hezbollah of launching the rocket from Lebanon and hitting a soccer field in the Druze town of Majdal Shams where the children were playing. But in an unusual move, Hezbollah denied any involvement in the attack.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed concern over the escalating tensions and called on Israel not to “fall into a trap” by reacting to an attack from Lebanon.
“Every time we feel closer to the hypothetical ceasefire, something happens. That is, there are a number of, let's say, regional players who want to escalate and, in our opinion, want to force Israel to react. I say this and at the same time invite Israel not to fall into this trap,” Meloni explained during his visit to China, Tuesday (30/7).
Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary David Lammy said that Britain condemned the attack on the Golan Heights, but called on all parties to exercise restraint.
“The situation on the de facto border between Lebanon and Israel is extremely concerning. We urge all parties to act with caution. The UK condemns the attack on the Golan Heights which tragically claimed the lives of 12 people. Hezbollah must stop its attacks and destabilising activities,” he explained to the British parliament on Tuesday (30/7).
Concerns of escalating violence between Israel and Hezbollah grew over the weekend, but US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said he believed the issue could be resolved diplomatically. (th/lt)
