Ben Gurion Operating as Israel, Lebanon Flare-Ups

Published on Nov 10, 2025, 11:39 am CST

5 min read

Key points

Israeli strikes and Hezbollah fire continued along the Lebanon frontier over the past week
Israel Airports Authority says Ben Gurion Airport remains operational with published arrivals and departures
Jordan and Egypt land borders operate on posted schedules that can change at short notice

Impact

Flight Operations: Commercial flights are running at Ben Gurion, but schedules can shift and some foreign carriers are still rebuilding service
Border Crossings: Allenby, Jordan River, and Yitzhak Rabin crossings have defined hours, and Allenby has seen intermittent closures this fall
Coastal Restrictions: Home Front Command guidance may limit access in northern coastal areas on short notice
What To Do: Keep wide buffers, reconfirm airline notices the day of travel, and verify current crossing hours with the operator before departure

Cross-border fire between Israel and armed groups in southern Lebanon has continued in recent days, with fresh Israeli airstrikes reported late last week and through the weekend. Israel's aviation authorities say Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) remains open and commercial flights are operating. On the ground, land borders with Jordan and Egypt are functioning on posted hours, although Allenby, also called King Hussein Bridge, has faced short-notice closures and reopenings in recent weeks. Travelers should plan generous buffers, recheck airline and government notices, and verify border hours on the day of travel.

Ben Gurion status and airline posture

The Israel Airports Authority maintains live arrivals and departures for Ben Gurion and continues to message normal airport operations. That aligns with the government's civil aviation update that Israeli airspace and Ben Gurion are functioning, subject to routine security procedures. Several foreign carriers have restored some service this year, while others are still on limited schedules or have announced later resumptions, so availability can vary by route and date. United resumed New York service in July and has staged additional U.S. routes, while American has announced a March 2026 restart from New York. Low-cost capacity remains uneven, with Ryanair not returning for winter after a terminal dispute, and Wizz Air adding seats. If your itinerary relies on a foreign carrier, treat it as dynamic and check the airline's travel alerts page the day before and the morning of departure. If you need same-day changes, use the carrier app and airport desks in parallel. This lowers the chance that a queue or a cut-off time blocks a rebooking. Leave extra time for security screening. Expect gate or timing adjustments even when the flight operates. These are normal in a high-security environment. The airport itself remains open. The schedule is where the friction shows up.

Latest developments

Regional tension has focused on the Israel, Lebanon frontier. Israel carried out multiple airstrikes on targets in southern Lebanon on November 6 and afterward, and exchanges of fire have continued on an almost daily tempo. These reports confirm ongoing localized risk along the northern boundary rather than a nationwide aviation shutdown. Travelers transiting Tel Aviv should still plan for a normal airport experience, while avoiding nonessential travel near border areas and following official safety instructions.

Border links with Jordan and Egypt

If you route overland, confirm hours the morning of travel. Allenby, the West Bank crossing to Jordan, published regular passenger hours but was repeatedly closed and reopened in September under political and security directives. Today, you should verify whether Allenby is open before you depart for the terminal. The Jordan River, also called Sheikh Hussein, posts 830 a.m. to 600 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 830 a.m. to 400 p.m. Friday, closed Saturday. Yitzhak Rabin, also called Wadi Araba near Eilat and Aqaba, posts 630 a.m. to 800 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 800 a.m. to 800 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Taba, the crossing to Egypt at Eilat, operates around the clock except on specified holidays. Build at least a two to three hour buffer at border terminals for queues and paperwork, more if you are connecting to a flight the same day.

Safety guidance and coastal restrictions

The IDF Home Front Command issues time-boxed guidance that can affect gatherings, schools, and access to outdoor spaces, including northern beaches. These directives have eased and tightened at different moments this year, and they can change again on short notice. If you are headed to coastal areas in the north, check the latest guidance the morning you travel, then again before you enter any restricted zone. Treat these as operational rules rather than advisories. When they are active, compliance is mandatory.

Analysis

For air travelers, the practical risk is schedule volatility, not airport closure. Book earlier departures where possible. Pad connections by at least two to three hours on separate tickets, and one and a half hours on through tickets. Use airline apps to monitor gate and time changes, and keep notifications on. If your carrier has not yet restored the route you want, price alternates through Istanbul, Athens, Larnaca, Rome, or Amman. For overland itineraries, avoid planning a same-day airport connection via Allenby, since short-notice closures there have been more frequent than at Jordan River or Yitzhak Rabin. For coastal leisure plans north of Haifa, confirm the current Home Front Command posture before you commit a nonrefundable booking. In short, assume operations continue, but plan margin.

Background

Israel's primary international gateway is Ben Gurion International Airport. During past escalations, most disruption has come from airline schedule cuts, union flight duty limits, and aircraft routing choices, rather than prolonged airport closures. Land borders operate on civil timetables under the Israel Airports Authority and coordination with Jordan and Egypt. Security directives can compress or extend those hours. The Home Front Command governs civil guidance within Israel, and its notices are time-stamped and can change quickly.

Final thoughts

Ben Gurion remains operational, and flights continue with carrier-by-carrier variation. Northern flare-ups are localized, but they warrant conservative buffers. Recheck airline notices and border hours on the day of travel, then move early if anything shifts. That is the way to keep your plan intact.