Israel-bound plane flies over Beirut due to bad weather

An Aegean Airlines flight from Cyprus’ Larnaca to Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport was unexpectedly diverted through Lebanese airspace on Wednesday morning due to severe winter weather, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.

“The passengers were not informed in real time that the aircraft had crossed into the territory of a country officially at war with Israel,” the channel noted.

According to flight-tracking data, the jet passed directly over Beirut for several minutes before rejoining its revised approach path toward Israel. The diversion occurred after storm conditions made the planned route unsafe.

The Israel Airports Authority confirmed the incident, stressing that the decision was made “for the sake of passenger safety.” The IAA noted that while the plane was inside Lebanese airspace, it remained under the supervision of Cyprus’ air traffic control center. Responsibility transferred to Israeli controllers only after the aircraft had already exited Lebanon.

Images from Flightradar24 show the aircraft making a clear detour northward into Lebanese territory before turning south toward Ben Gurion. Channel 12, which first reported the event, said passengers remained unaware until after landing.

Aviation officials said the diversion complied with international air-traffic procedures. Weather-related rerouting is standard practice, though entering the airspace of a hostile state is considered rare and typically avoided unless necessary.

The incident occurred as Storm Byron continued to disrupt regional flight patterns, forcing multiple aircraft to adjust routes or delay landings. No irregular communication with Lebanese authorities was reported, and Israel’s airports authority emphasized that the flight experienced no danger at any stage.

Aegean Airlines did not immediately issue a comment.