558 dead as Israel drops heavy bombs in Lebanon

Flights suspended as Hezbollah-Israel tensions soar

PARIS:

International airlines have in recent weeks suspended growing numbers of flights to Lebanon and Israel as tensions rise between the powerful Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and Israel.

The suspensions have multiplied following a day of Israeli bombardment that Lebanon's authorities said killed 558 on Monday -- the deadliest day of violence in the country since the 1975-90 civil war.

Emirates announced the temporary suspension of its flights to Beirut on Tuesday and Wednesday. Its sister United Arab Emirates-based airline flydubai also cancelled flights to Beirut on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"The safety of our crew and customers is of utmost importance and will not be compromised," Emirates said in a statement.

Qatar Airways, which operates two flights a day to the Lebanese capital, also cancelled services for two days.

"Due to the ongoing situation in Lebanon, Qatar Airways has temporarily suspended flights to and from Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport until September 25," it said in a statement.

British Airways on Tuesday became the latest airline to halt flights to Israel, suspending flights until Thursday. The airline does not have a service to Beirut.

"We've been continually monitoring the situation in the Middle East and have taken the operational decision to cancel our flights to and from Tel Aviv up to and including Thursday, 26 September," it said in a statement.

Air France on Tuesday extended the suspension of its Beirut flights until October 1, which a spokesman told AFP was due to the "security situation".

Flights to and from the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, suspended by Air France last week, were operating "normally" after resuming at the weekend, the spokesman added.

Germany's Lufthansa had already suspended Beirut flights until October 26.

But on Tuesday it also extended the suspension of flights to and from Israel's Tel Aviv and Iranian capital Tehran up to and including October 14 in response to the tensions.

Lufthansa was continuing to "monitor the situation closely and will assess it further in the coming days", the group said on its website.

Egypt's state-owned flag carrier likewise said in a statement it was suspending all its flights to Beirut on Tuesday until the situation in Lebanon stabilises.