Lebanon’s airline parks planes in Istanbul as tensions rise

Lebanon’s flag carrier is parking some of its fleet in Turkey as a “precautionary measure” amid growing tensions in the region.

Middle East Airlines is storing five of its 24 plane overnight in Istanbul Airport, and said it has an “emergency plan” that it will implement if it needs to, according to a company statement. The measures are similar to those the airline took during the Israeli attacks on Lebanon in 2006, in which Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport was bombed.

MEA said the decision to park planes in Istanbul will not affect daily operations, and all flights are running as scheduled. 

Israel is evacuating residents close to the border with Lebanon to allow for potential military action against the pro-Iranian Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. On Tuesday, Lebanon’s state news agency reported that the Israeli army shelled villages in the south of the country.

Carriers have scaled back flying to Israel amid an escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas after a surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group on Oct. 7. Israeli flag carrier El Al remains one of the few airlines still operating to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion airport, alongside a scaled down service by Dubai’s Emirates and FlyDubai, as well as Ethiopian Airlines Group.