Italy’s ITA Airways announced this weekend that it is suspending flights to Israel through Monday amid escalating regional tensions.
The move by the Italian flag carrier during the busy summer travel season followed a security alert issued by the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem Friday over “possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and other travel disruptions” due to the “heightened tensions” in the Middle East.
The airline, which cited “operational reasons” for the cancellations, had restarted its Rome-Tel Aviv flights earlier this month.
Austrian Airlines also canceled its Saturday flights to and from Tel Aviv.
Israel’s Channel 12 TV reported that the airline crews did not want to fly to Israel.
U.S. carriers led by Delta and United are scheduled to resume flights to Israel in September.
Israeli aviation officials said this weekend that Ben-Gurion International Airport is operating normally.
