UAE airlines cancel flights to Beirut and Tel Aviv

Airlines in the UAE cancelled and diverted flights to and from Israel and Lebanon on Sunday due to conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Israel's military says it has conducted pre-emptive air strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon after detecting plans for a significant attack against its territory, while Hezbollah has confirmed it has started “phase one” of an attack by firing a wave of rockets and drones.

Etihad Airways cancelled its services to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut as Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel’s main travel hub, was temporarily closed. Tel Aviv flights affected were the EY593 from Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv and EY594 from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi.

Beirut flights affected were the EY535 from Abu Dhabi to Beirut and EY538 from Beirut to Abu Dhabi. Guests booked on these services are being assisted with their travel arrangements, Etihad said.

“Etihad is monitoring the situation across the region and continues to maintain close contact with authorities,” a spokesperson said.

“More information is available by calling the Etihad Airways Contact Centre on +971 600 555 666, by visiting etihad.com or the mobile app."

The Dubai-based flydubai followed suit. Its Dubai-Tel Aviv flight FZ 1245 to Ramon International Airport was diverted.

Emirates suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv in November 2023. It comes as Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati called on Sunday for an end to the “Israeli aggression” against his country as he chaired an emergency government meeting.