easyJet cancels all flights to Israel for six months amid fears of wider regional conflict in Middle East

16 April 2024, 12:08

By Kieran Kelly

@kellyjourno

Budget airline easyJet has announced all flights to Tel Aviv have been scrapped until the end of October amid fears a wider regional conflict could break out in the Middle East.

Routes to Tel Aviv will not restart until at least October 27 this year, a spokesperson confirmed this morning.

“As a result of the continued evolving situation in Israel, easyJet has now taken the decision to suspend its flights to Tel Aviv for the remainder of the summer season,” a spokesperson said.

“Customers booked to fly on this route up to this date are being offered options, including a full refund.”

Flights were already suspended until April 21, but this has now been extended for another six months.

The decision follows an unprecedented missile and drone attack on Israel by Iran.

Israel said Iran launched 170 drones, more than 30 cruise missiles and at least 120 ballistic missiles in an assault that set off air raid sirens across the country.

Read More: Israel planning ‘painful’ strike on Iran despite Western calls for calm after unprecedented missile attack

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By Sunday morning, Tehran said the attack was over and Israel reopened its air space having said it had intercepted along with its allies 99% of the projectiles launched towards its territory.

There are fears the attack could trigger a regional war as Israel continues its campaign against Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza.

Western leaders, including in the US and the UK, have urged Israel “take the win” after successfully repelling Iran's attack.

But it emerged late last night that Israel is planning a ‘painful’ strike on Iran, despite calls for calm.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly asked the IDF to draw up a list of targets they could hit that the US would not object to.

A 'careful' Israeli response could come in the form of a precision strike on a facility in Tehran, or a cyber attack, according to the Washington Post.

“Everybody agrees that Israel must respond,” an Israeli official told the publication. “How to respond, when to respond, is the question.”