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Israel reopens airspace after Iranian attack

The unprecedented Iranian attack forced Israel’s national carrier El Al to cancel over two dozen flights and reschedule others, while some foreign airlines scrapped flights altogether on Sunday.

Ben-Gurion Airport
An El Al passenger plane takes off from Ben-Gurion International Airport, April 24, 2019. Photo by Kobi Richter/TPS.

Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport reopened Sunday morning after being shuttered overnight due to the Iranian missile and drone attack on the Jewish state.

The country’s main international airport resumed flight operations at 7:30 a.m. after a seven-hour closure.

The unprecedented Iranian attack forced Israel’s national carrier El Al to cancel over two dozen flights and reschedule others, while some foreign airlines scrapped flights altogether on Sunday.

The airline advised ticketed passengers to check with the carrier about their scheduled flights before coming to the airport.

Chicago-based United Airlines, along with Air France, KLM, Lufthansa and British Airways were among the airlines that canceled Sunday flights.

“We are closely monitoring the situation and will make decisions on upcoming flights with a focus on the safety of our customers and crews,” said United Airlines.

United Airlines said that they will “continue to evaluate” their planned Sunday flight from Newark to Tel Aviv.

United had just restarted service to Israel last month after a five-month suspension following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel. The two other U.S. legacy carriers—American and Delta—have not resumed flights to Tel Aviv since the fall, although Delta had previously announced its plans to start flying to Israel again next month.

Israeli airlines Arkia and Israir also announced changes to their flight schedules due to the Iranian attack.

Some 50,000 passengers had been expected to pass through the airport on Sunday, the largest number since the Oct. 7 massacre.

The Iranian assault came just one week before the start of the weeklong holiday of Passover, traditionally a bustling tourism period in Israel.

Many reservists were called up in the middle of the night for the surprise exercise, part of the military’s post-Oct. 7 testing of readiness.
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