Lufthansa and Air France Suspend Flights to Beirut Amid Escalating Tensions

Lufthansa and Air France announced the suspension of flights to Beirut following a tragic rocket strike that claimed the lives of at least 12 children and teenagers in the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights. The attack, which has been attributed to the Iran-backed group Hezbollah by the U.S. and Israel, has been denied by the group itself. In response to the incident, Israel's security cabinet has granted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his defense minister the authority to decide on retaliatory measures. The flight suspensions are set to last until August 5 for Lufthansa, while Air France has halted operations for Monday and Tuesday. The decision comes in the wake of a chaotic scene in Majdal Shams, where the rocket struck a group of children playing soccer. Eyewitness accounts from paramedics describe a harrowing situation, with many families frantically searching for their loved ones amidst the chaos of injured and deceased children. Since the onset of the conflict with Hamas on October 7, Hezbollah rockets have increasingly targeted northern Israel, prompting Israel to conduct regular strikes on southern Lebanon. This ongoing violence has led to the displacement of tens of thousands of residents from border communities in both nations. Israeli officials have expressed a desire to weaken Hezbollah's capabilities without escalating the situation into a full-scale war, indicating a potential interest in de-escalation efforts.