JERUSALEM / ISTANBUL

Lufthansa Group and Italian ITA Airways on Tuesday extended the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until June 8 amid rising tensions between Israel and Yemen’s Houthi group.

The two companies were scheduled to resume their flights to Tel Aviv on May 25, but the exchange of attacks between Israel and the Houthis forced them to extend their flight suspension for two more weeks.

Lufthansa Group includes Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings.

On Tuesday, the Greek carrier Aegean suspended flights to Tel Aviv until May 21, and LOT Polish Airlines until May 25. British Airways also suspended flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport through June 14, while Air Canada extended its flight suspension until Sept. 8.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have targeted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, Gulf of Aden, and Arabian Sea in support of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, where nearly 53,600 people have been killed in the ongoing Israeli offensive.