Lufthansa, Swiss cancel flights to and from Tel Aviv through Aug. 8

Germany’s Lufthansa Group LHAG.DE and its unit Swiss International Air Lines have cancelled all passenger and cargo flights to and from Tel Aviv with immediate effect through Aug. 8, spokespeople for the airlines said on Thursday.

“The reason for this is the current development in the region,” a Lufthansa spokesperson said.

The German airline group has also extended a halt on its flights to and from the Lebanese capital Beirut through Aug. 12, according to the spokesperson.

Swiss International is suspending flights from Zurich to Tel Aviv through Aug. 8 and to Beirut through Aug. 12, a spokesperson for the company said.

A number of airlines have cancelled or suspended flights as Lebanon braces for retaliation from Israel since a strike on Saturday in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed 12 children and teenagers. Hezbollah has denied blame.