The horrific Majdal Shams massacre, in which 12 children were murdered by Hezbollah in a direct rocket attack, is expected to prompt an Israeli retalitory strike in Lebanon, according to statements by Israeli officials. While it has been days since the attack, it is unclear when and how an Israeli response will take place.
Simultaneously, the situation in Lebanon is causing concern for many foreign airlines, leading to numerous flight cancellations by foreign carriers, including Turkish airlines.
A review of Beirut's flight schedule reveals that some of the airlines that have already announced flight cancellations include Turkish Airlines, SunExpress, Lufthansa, Eurowings, Swiss, and even the Lebanese airline MEA, which has canceled some of its flights.
As a reminder, recent months have seen numerous reports that Hezbollah is storing arms and ammunition at Beirut's airport. Efforts to deny these claims and journalist tours have not convinced reporters who visited the airport.
At this stage, it is unclear how long the flight cancellations to Lebanon will continue and how extensive they will become. The projected Israeli response has a clear impact on the continued operations of foreign and local airlines, significantly affecting entry and exit from Lebanon.
