BERLIN

German airline Lufthansa announced on Thursday that it is extending the suspension of flights to Tehran and Beirut until the end of month due to security concerns.

“The Lufthansa Group is continuously monitoring and assessing the security situation in the Middle East and is in close contact with the authorities,” the airline said in a statement.

“Lufthansa flights to Tehran and Beirut will remain cancelled up to and including Tuesday, 30. April 2024. In addition, Lufthansa will not use the Iranian airspace up to and including Tuesday, 30 April 2024,” the statement said.

The decision came amid heightened tensions in the region, as the Israeli government vowed to respond to Iranian attacks, despite international calls for restraint and de-escalation.

Tehran carried out an overnight attack on Israel Saturday in response to an April 1 strike on its consulate in Syria that killed seven Iranian military officers, including two top-ranking commanders.

Iran reportedly fired more than 300 drones and missiles on Saturday, with almost all intercepted by the air defense systems of Israel and its allies – the US, France and the UK.