By Zein Khalil
JERUSALEM (AA) - American Airlines has canceled its flights to and from Israel until April 2025, according to Israeli media on Sunday.
The move comes amid rising regional tensions over Israel’s ongoing offensive on the Gaza Strip, which killed nearly 40,100 people and injured 92,600 others since last Oct. 7.
Israeli public broadcaster KAN said American Airlines has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport until next April.
The airline did not provide any specific details about the long-term suspension of flights.
Several major international carriers, including United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, have suspended their flights to Israel.
As of Aug. 7, the total number of foreign airlines that have suspended flights to and from Israel reached 20, according to KAN.
Israel is on high military alert for a potential retaliatory attack from Iran following last month’s assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Iran's capital Tehran on July 31.
While Iran and Hamas accused Israel of carrying out Haniyeh’s assassination, Israel has not confirmed or denied responsibility.
Lebanese group Hezbollah has also vowed retaliation against Israel after the assassination of its senior commander, Fouad Shukr, in an airstrike in Beirut on July 30.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi