Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel’s main air hub, suspended operations on Sunday morning in response to possible Hezbollah rocket attacks from Lebanon. The closure was scheduled to end at 7 a.m. Israel time.
The closure came shortly after Israel said the Lebanese terror group was preparing to launch rockets into Israeli territory, which would trigger preemptive strikes and heightened security measures across northern Israel. Preparations for the Hezbollah attack come as the terror group announced it would move to assassinate its top commander, Fuad Sukr, who was the de facto number two in Israel’s leadership, in late July.
The airport has postponed all departures and arrivals. The Israeli army had previously reported that it had discovered Hezbollah’s preparations to launch rockets and missiles at Israel.
In response, the military began preemptive strikes to neutralize the threat. The Israel Defense Forces announced that the Home Front Command would issue critical security directives for certain regions of the country. Residents of the northern border region and communities in the Golan Heights were ordered to stay near protected areas. The Security Cabinet is scheduled to meet at 7:00 a.m.
A spokesperson for the Israel Airports Authority said: “Due to the current security situation, morning departures from Ben Gurion Airport will be delayed and no flights will depart in the next few hours. Incoming flights to Ben Gurion Airport will be diverted to alternative airports in the area. We advise all travelers to check with their respective airlines for updated flight schedule information.”
