1 flight per hour will be allowed and there will be a limit of 50 passengers per plane; conflict in the Middle East escalated
Israel decided to restrict operations at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, following a security assessment carried out by the country’s authorities. The measure was announced by the Minister of Transport, Miri Regev, and comes into force this Monday in the late afternoon. From 5pm onwards, only 1 flight per hour will be allowed — with 1 landing with no passenger limit and one take-off with a maximum of 50 people on board.
According to the newspaper, the new rule significantly reduces flow at the country’s main airport. Until then, planes could operate with up to 120 passengers and there was authorization for 2 movements per hour. With the change, capacity drops by half in the number of flights and more than half in the occupancy of aircraft leaving the country.
In a statement, Regev stated that the decision was taken to avoid risks to the population. “This is an inconvenience, but our commitment to human life is the top priority, and that is what the decision derives from.”he declared. According to the minister, the rules can be changed at any time, depending on the assessment of security authorities.
The restriction is determined after Iranian ballistic missiles hit central and southern regions of Israel over the weekend, with reports of impacts and injuries.
Since the airport’s gradual reopening, around 140,000 Israelis have returned to the country on flights organized by local companies, such as El Al, Arkia, Israir and Air Haifa.
The decision is also part of a broader scenario of tension in the region. In recent days, the United States has sent 4,500 troops to the Middle East, in a move interpreted as preparation for a possible dispute over control of the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, President Donald Trump (Republican Party) gave Iran a call to reopen the sea route, threatening to attack the country’s energy infrastructure.
In response, Iranian authorities may close the strait indefinitely and expand attacks on strategic targets in the region.
CLIMBING IN TENSION
The event was held after weeks of tension between the 2 countries. On February 19, Trump stated that, within 10 days, he would know whether to give “one step forward” in relation to an attack against the Persian country.
Afterwards, the Republican declared that everyone, including the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces, Dan Caine, considers that a possible war against Iran would result in one.
In , on Tuesday (24.Feb), Trump said that the US had not yet heard Iran pronounce “those magic words: ‘we will never have a nuclear weapon’”. In his speech, the American president stated that the Persian regime “has already developed missiles that could threaten Europe and our bases abroad, and is working to build missiles that will soon reach the USA”.
Trump’s statements were made while dealing with Iran, which did not result in an agreement.
A senior Iranian official told Reuters that the country if the Americans recognized its right to enrich uranium for peaceful purposes and lifted economic sanctions.
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