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Washington - Major US airlines halted flights to and from Israel on Tuesday amid security concerns as the deadly conflict in Gaza entered its third week.
Delta announced the suspension of its service to Israel, saying it had diverted a flight bound for Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport to Paris after "reports of a rocket or associated debris near the airport in Tel Aviv."
US Airways meanwhile told AFP in a Twitter exchange it had canceled its flights Tuesday between Philadelphia and Tel Aviv "in response to security concerns" at Ben Gurion airport.
The announcements came as an Israeli assault on Hamas in the Gaza Strip entered its third week, and world powers pushed for a truce between the Jewish state and the militants.
On its website, United Airlines said its Tuesday flights to Tel Aviv from Newark airport, just outside New York, had been "canceled due to aircraft availability."
The same two flights for Wednesday remained listed as "on schedule."
"Delta has suspended service until further notice to and from Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv and its New York-JFK hub," the Atlanta-based airline said.
"Delta, in coordination with the US Federal Aviation Administration, is doing so to ensure the safety and security of our customers and employees."
Delta said the diverted flight was a Boeing 747 with 273 passengers and 17 crew on board, and that it was "working to reaccommodate these customers."
Working in coordination with the FAA and others, Delta said it would continue to monitor the situation.
