By Jerald Jimenez
08 Oct 2023, 09:19 AM EDT
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the authority that regulates civil aviation in the United States, issued a warning to airlines and pilots who fly in Israeli airspace in the face of the violent escalation of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
The alert was sent on Saturday night, and occurs in response to the situation of tension and violence in the region due to the confrontation between Israel and the Islamist group Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.
The statement, which is in the form of a Notice to Air Missions (NOTAM), indicates that there is a potential risk to the safety of flights at all altitudes due to the rocket attacks and bombings that have occurred in recent hours. .
Additionally, the FAA asked crews to maintain constant communication with air traffic control and to be alert for possible changes or restrictions in Israeli airspace.
The alert comes after the Islamist group Hamas launched hundreds of rockets from Gaza towards Israel, and it responded with intense bombings on the Palestinian territory, with a death toll so far of approximately 500, according to the Israeli Ministry of Health.
Although the FAA has not banned flights over Israel, it has reminded airlines and pilots of their responsibility to assess risks and make appropriate decisions to ensure the safety of their operations.
In a surprise attack on Saturday, Palestinian militants fired at least 2,200 rockets into Israel, according to the Israeli military, while Hamas claimed at least 5,000 rockets were fired, all of which landed in southern and central Israel.
In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) declared “a state of war alert,” according to a statement issued Saturday morning.
With information from ABC News / BBC News