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SvennoJ on 12 August 2024
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By firing rockets, Hezbollah is testing Israel’s air defences

This was not the promised response by Hezbollah for the killing of its senior military commander.

What we witnessed last night really is what we have been witnessing over the past 10 months. Hezbollah fired rockets across the border, saying that it was targeting a military base, but there were no casualties.

The Israeli military says the rockets fell in open areas. Some of them [had] impacts. What this says really is that Hezbollah has been testing Israel’s air defence system, it’s what they’ve been doing for some time now. They want to know its vulnerabilities, and it has been vulnerable for some time now – not just to rockets or missiles but especially to drones in recent days.

So this is still not the promised retaliation, but this attack is happening amid heightened tension amid reports from US and Israeli intelligence sources suggesting that the promised response by Iran and its ally Hezbollah is coming and could happen as early as Monday.


Air France, Transavia extend suspension of Beirut flights

Air France and its subsidiary Transavia France say they will not fly to and Beirut through August 15 because of continued tensions in the region.

The flights have been suspended since July 29 because of the “security situation in Lebanon” and their resumption “will be subject to a new assessment of the situation on the ground”, Air France said in a statement.

The airline said “the safety of its clients and crews are its absolute priority”.

Numerous international companies have ceased serving Beirut over fears of a military escalation between Israel and Hezbollah.


Lufthansa extends flight suspensions over Middle East tensions

The German airline says it has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv, Tehran, Beirut, Amman and Erbil through August 21, amid fears of an escalation in conflict in the Middle East.

Lufthansa will not be using Iranian and Iraqi airspace during that period, it said in a statement.


Swiss extends flight suspensions to Tel Aviv, Beirut until August 21

Swiss International Air Lines says the airspace over Iran, Iraq and Israel will be avoided until August 21. The airline also reissued a previous statement about extending flight suspensions until August 13.