United Airlines has announced it will temporarily suspend its daily flights to Tel Aviv, Israel, starting with Wednesday night’s services from Newark Liberty International Airport. This decision comes amidst escalating tensions in the Middle East following several high-profile assassinations in the area.
In an official statement, United said, “Starting with this evening’s flight from Newark to Tel Aviv, we are halting our service for security reasons while we assess our next moves. We are continuously monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of our customers and crew.”
This suspension follows a week of heightened conflict in the region, particularly between Israel and various Palestinian militant groups. Iranian officials have publicly called for revenge against Israel after the assassination of Hamas’ political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran.
Additionally, Israel confirmed it was responsible for the killing of senior Hezbollah commander, Fouad Shukr, in Beirut. This strike was a retaliation for an attack on an Israeli-occupied area in the Golan Heights that led to the tragic loss of over 10 children’s lives.
In response to these events, several airlines have canceled flights to Beirut International Airport. The three major U.S. airlines—United, American, and Delta—had also halted their services to Israel last October following attacks by Hamas. Of these, American Airlines has yet to resume its flights. However, El Al, Israel’s national airline, continues to operate flights between the U.S. and Israel.
The U.S. State Department is advising travelers to reconsider any trips to Israel and the West Bank, while strongly warning against travel to Gaza.