Beirut airport stays open, Iraqi Airways halts flights

Shafaq News- Beirut/ Baghdad

Beirut International Airport remains operational, a senior airport official told Shafaq News Monday evening, as Iraqi Airways suspended all flights to the Lebanese capital, citing security conditions.

The Lebanese official said airlines continue to operate normally and that there is no intention, as of Monday evening, to close the airport.

Iraqi Airways, in a statement, said the suspension was ordered out of concern for passenger safety given the security situation in the region. The airline said flights will not resume until its crisis cell and relevant authorities issue formal approval to restart operations.

The announcements came after the Israeli military issued evacuation warnings Monday to residents of Beirut's southern suburbs, saying that it would strike targets in the area if Hezbollah continued firing rockets at Israeli cities and towns. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz earlier in the day confirmed they had ordered the military to carry out strikes on the Dahiya.

Late Monday, however, US President Donald Trump announced that both Israel and Hezbollah had agreed to stop attacks, describing a conversation with Netanyahu as "very productive." Trump added that no Israeli soldiers would enter Beirut and that any troops previously heading toward the Lebanese capital had already turned back. The president also revealed he held a "very good conversation" with Hezbollah through senior representatives.