TEL AVIV (Dispatches) -- At least 12 major airlines canceled their flights to Tel Aviv following an aerial blockade imposed by Yemen on Israel due to the Zionist regime’s decision to expand its military operations in Gaza.
The airlines announcing the suspension of their service include Delta Air Lines, Air France, British Airways, Wizz Air, Iberia, Air India, Lufthansa Group, LOT Polish Airlines, Transavia, Air Europa, ITA Airways, and Ryanair.
“Due to the current situation, the Lufthansa Group has decided to suspend its flights to and from Tel Aviv up until and including 6 May,” the airline said in a statement. “Affected guests will be notified and rebooked on alternative flights, subject to availability.”
The cancellations flooded in after the Yemeni Armed Forces (YAF) targeted Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv with a hypersonic ballistic missile strike early on Sunday.
Hebrew media reports indicate that the missile evaded four layers of air defense systems – including the U.S.-made THAAD and Israel’s Arrow systems – before impact.
“In response to the Israeli escalation with the decision to expand aggressive operations on Gaza, the Yemeni Armed Forces announce that they will work to impose a comprehensive air blockade on the Israeli enemy by repeatedly targeting airports, most notably Lod Airport, known in Israel as Ben Gurion Airport,” YAF spokesman Yahya Saree declared on Sunday.
“The Yemeni Armed Forces call on all international airlines to take into consideration what is stated in this statement from the moment it was announced and published and to cancel all flights to the airports of the criminal enemy

 to preserve the safety of their aircraft and customers,” Saree added.
The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Centre (HOCC) in Sanaa officially informed the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) of the decision to impose “a comprehensive aerial blockade” on Israel.
In a statement, the center confirmed that it had sent a formal letter to ICAO and IATA to inform them of the airspace ban and to urge them to take the necessary steps within their respective mandates. It also called for coordination with relevant authorities to avoid air navigation to and from what it called the “usurping Israeli enemy’s airports” with specific reference to Ben Gurion Airport. The center explained that these airports are under constant threat of being targeted by Yemeni forces, necessitating flight rerouting.
The statement added that the letter reflects Yemen’s commitment to ensuring civil aviation safety, which falls under the responsibilities of ICAO and IATA.
The Centre expressed hope that the addressed bodies would take the necessary steps to maintain air traffic safety, including issuing aviation warnings and flight information bulletins, and coordinating with concerned countries to adopt appropriate measures for aircraft protection.
The centre urged all parties to understand that this step is a “humanitarian and moral” measure. It stressed the need for collective pressure on the “usurping Israeli entity” to halt “genocide, starvation, and the siege” imposed on the Palestinian people in Gaza.
In response to the Yemeni air blockade, officials in Tel Aviv stated that they have “removed all restrictions” for retaliation against Sanaa.