Passengers disembarking were met with sirens and instructed to lay flat on the ground.
Passengers took cover on the tarmac after landing at the airport in Tel Aviv as Palestinian rockets fired from Gaza exploded in the vicinity of the airport.
Airlines scrambled to cancel flights into Israel early Saturday after Palestinian militants launched a surprise attack, firing thousands of rockets from Gaza into nearby Israeli towns during a Jewish holiday.
As of Saturday afternoon, about 16% of flights were canceled and 23% were delayed to Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel’s international hub, located just outside of Tel Aviv.
#UPDATE
Passengers taking cover at the airport in Tel Aviv as Palestinian rockets from Gaza strike the city#Israel #Hamas #Palestine #Palestinian #IronDome #Gaza #TelAviv #IsraelUnderAttack #IStandWithIsrael #mosad #FINISH #TelAviv pic.twitter.com/lkfJ2Ks6lp— ANSHULGAUTAM (@ANSHULGAUTAMM) October 7, 2023
Some Israel-bound flights were diverted to other airports around the globe.
German airline Lufthansa also announced on Saturday it would drastically reduce flights to Tel Aviv.
Air France has Cancelled all Flights to and from Tel Aviv International Airport.