4,000 Israelis stranded abroad as airlines suspend flights to Tel Aviv

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) - Nearly 4,000 Israelis have been stranded abroad due to the suspension of international flights to Tel Aviv amid rising border tensions between Hezbollah and Israel, according to local media on Sunday.

Public broadcaster KAN said around 4,000 passengers are stuck outside the country and have contacted the Foreign Ministry in Tel Aviv to facilitate their return to Israel.

Due to the escalating tension between Israel and Hezbollah, 15 international airlines have canceled their flights to and from Tel Aviv since last Monday, with some suspending flights for at least a few days and others indefinitely.

Flights between Tel Aviv and Eilat in southern Israel were also canceled on Saturday night and throughout Sunday due to the tense security situation, the Israeli daily Maariv said.

Tension has escalated between Hezbollah and Israel since Tel Aviv assassinated senior military commander Fouad Shukr in an airstrike in Beirut’s southern suburb on July 30.

Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was also assassinated in Tehran the following day, in an attack blamed on Israel although Tel Aviv has not confirmed or denied its responsibility.

Hamas and Iran have vowed to retaliate for Haniyeh's assassination, while Hezbollah has pledged to respond to Shukr's killing.

Fears have grown over a full-blown war between Israel and Hezbollah amid a months-long exchange of cross-border fire.

The escalation comes against the backdrop of an Israeli onslaught on Gaza, which has killed nearly 39,600 victims since last October, following an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas.

​​​​​​​*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala