Amid concerns over escalating tensions in the Middle East, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) said it is set to carry out an order by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to "harshly punish" Israel over the assassination of a Hamas leader in Tehran. Iran and Palestinian Islamist group Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out Ismail Haniyeh's assassination on July 31. Israel, on the other hand, has neither claimed nor denied responsibility for the killing, which has fueled further concern of conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip turning into a wider Middle East war.
"The supreme leader's orders regarding the harsh punishment of Israel and revenge for the blood of martyr Ismail Haniyeh are clear and explicit ... and they will be implemented in the best possible way," said Ali Fadavi, a Revolutionary Guards deputy commander, according to a report by news agency Reuters.
Israel Agrees To Resume Truce Talks
Meanwhile, after intense diplomacy aimed at averting a region-wide conflagration, Israel has agreed to resume Gaza ceasefire talks next week at the request of international mediators, AFP reported citing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office.
The announcement after Iran claimed that Israel wanted to spread war in the Middle East. Hamas officials and critics in Israel have also accused Netanyahu of prolonging the fighting for political gain.
Israel's military said troops were operating around Khan Yunis, the southern Gaza city from which soldiers had withdrawn in April after months of fierce fighting with Hamas.
Airlines Halt Services To Middle East
However, as concerns of a wider conflict grow in the Middle East, several international airlines, including Air India have suspended flights to the region to avoid affected air space. On Friday, the Indian flag carrier announced that the suspension is effective immediately due to heightened tensions in the Middle East stemming from the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel.
Apart from that, the Algerian airline, Air Algerie, has also temporarily suspended flights to and from Lebanon until further notice. Air France has also extended its suspension of flights between Paris and Beirut until August 11. Meanwhile, its Dutch arm KLM, from early in August, cancelled all its flights to and from Tel Aviv until October 26.
Delta Airlines has also extended a suspension of flights between New York and Tel Aviv until August 31. The UK budget airline Easyjet has stopped flying to and from Tel Aviv in April and will resume flights on March 30, 2025, a spokesperson said.
Italy's ITA Airways has also extended the suspension of its flights to and from Tel Aviv through August 10, while Germany's Lufthansa airline has extended its avoidance of Iranian and Iraqi airspace and said it would suspend flights to and from Tel Aviv, Tehran, Beirut, Amman and the Iraqi city of Erbil through August 13.
Swiss Air Lines, a unit of Lufthansa Group, has also extended the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv and Beirut until August 13, avoiding airspace over Israel, Iran and Iraq until then.
Jordan's flag carrier, Royal Jordanian, will also suspend its flights to and from the Lebanese capital Beirut until August 10. They had been suspended since July 29.
Europe's biggest budget airline Ryanair also cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 23. Singapore Airlines has also stopped flying over Iranian airspace and is using alternative routes.
The Chicago-based United Airlines has also suspended its flights to Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future. United Airlines had suspended its daily Newark, New Jersey-Tel Aviv service on July 31, citing security reasons.
Meanwhile, Britain has advised UK airlines not to enter Lebanese airspace from August 8 until November 4 citing "potential risk to aviation from military activity."