Lebanon will aim to keep its airspace open, a minister said on Saturday, hours after officials said the airspace would be shut down in the evening amid Iran-Israel conflict.
Jounieh, Lebanon © Mena Today
Lebanon will aim to keep its airspace open, a minister said on Saturday, hours after officials said the airspace would be shut down in the evening amid Iran-Israel conflict.
"The airport will remain open unless something emerges beyond our control," Lebanese Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny said while touring in Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport.
The Middle East Airlines (MEA), Lebanese national carrier, will increase its flights to compensate the delayed flights, Rasamny said.
Earlier, state news agency NNA cited the Lebanese Civil Aviation Authority as saying the country would temporarily reopen its airspace on Saturday at 10:00 a.m. (0700 GMT), and it would be shut down again from 10:30 p.m. till 6:00 a.m. on Sunday.
Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly and Menna Alaa El Din in Cairo
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday he had ordered troops to move further into Lebanon in the battle against the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group, despite a ceasefire announced more than six weeks ago.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot has demanded an emergency UN Security Council meeting following Israel's seizure of Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, calling it a "major fault" and accusing Israel of violating international law and ceasefire commitments.
Israeli forces have reportedly taken control of Beaufort Castle, known in Arabic as Qal'at al-Shaqif, a strategically commanding hilltop fortress in the Shebaa Heights of southern Lebanon, according to reports emerging on Sunday.
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