Iran Internationalreported that Lufthansa Group has instructed its staff in Israel to prepare to leave the countryand to expect flight cancellations starting Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. Lufthansa did not deny or confirm this report when asked by eTN.
The report signals a sudden escalationin Lufthansa’s risk posture and comes just two hours afterthe airline group publicly told media it would continue operating daytime-only flightsto Israel and Jordan. When asked about the report, Lufthansa said it was unable to commenton staff being asked to leave, neither confirming nor denying the account.
Aviation analysts say the sequence — a public announcement of limited daylight operations followed shortly by reports of staff evacuation planning — suggests a rapid deterioration in security assessments, and may foreshadow similar moves by other international airlinesserving Tel Aviv, Amman, Iraq, and airspace near Iran.
Lufthansa’s official statement: daytime-only flights and airspace avoidance
Earlier on Wednesday, Lufthansa Group said it would operate flights to and from Tel Aviv and Amman as daytime-only servicesfrom Thursday, January 15 through Monday, January 19, 2026. Under that plan:
- Flight crews would return the same day without overnight stays
- Some flights could be canceled
- All Lufthansa Group airlines would bypass Iranian and Iraqi airspace until further notice
The airline said affected passengers would be automatically rebooked and proactively contacted, with options to change travel dates, stressing that safety of guests and crew remains the top priority.
Staff-departure report points to deeper contingency planning
The Iran International report, however, suggests Lufthansa may be preparing for a broader operational pullbackthan publicly acknowledged. Such internal contingency measures are often taken ahead of formal flight suspensions, particularly when staff safety on the ground is assessed to be at risk.
Industry experts note that during previous regional crises, airlines frequently moved from daylight-only operationsto full suspensions within hours or days, especially once evacuation planning for local or stationed staff begins.
U.S. evacuates personnel as Iran issues threats
The aviation developments coincide with growing military and political tension. The administration of Donald Trumphas begun evacuating some American personnel from U.S. military bases in the region, according to reports from Washington.
Iranian leaders have issued explicit warnings of possible attacks on U.S. military bases, naming locations in Turkeyand the United Arab Emirates, raising fears of a wider regional confrontation.
Washington signals major response over Iran’s internal crackdown
At the same time, reports from Washington indicate President Trump is planning a “massive response”to what U.S. officials and international rights groups describe as the mass killing of Iranian civilians by the Iranian regimeamid ongoing nationwide protests.
While no formal announcement has been made, sources say options under discussion include expanded sanctions, diplomatic isolation, and other punitive measures, elevating the Iran crisis into a combined security, humanitarian, and geopolitical emergency.
Airlines likely to follow with further suspensions
Lufthansa’s apparent shift — from limited daylight operations to reported staff evacuation preparations — is being closely watched across the aviation industry. Analysts say it may set a trendfor other airlines still flying to Tel Aviv and Amman, as well as carriers operating routes near Iranian and Iraqi airspace.
“The window between restricted operations and full suspension can be very short when threat assessments change this quickly,” one aviation security expert said.
Situation remains highly fluid
With military warnings intensifying, U.S. posture shifting, and airlines reassessing staff safety and airspace risks, the situation remains extremely fluid, with decisions potentially changing hour by hour.
Passengers are being advised to monitor airline communications closelyand prepare for further cancellations or rapid schedule changes.
Unknown Explosions in Iran
Field reports from people on the ground in Iran indicate that an explosion has occurred in Saadat Abad. People are out in the streets. Amid severe killings, public anger is intensifying, and many are demanding justice for the blood of their loved ones. In one family, three members were killed; in another, both parents were killed.
Update: Trump says he’s been told killings and executions in Iran have stopped
According to a report in Iran International. US President Donald Trump said he’s been informed that the killing has stopped in Iran.
eTurboNews has also been receiving information from within Iran that demonstrations cooled down on Wednesday. With the weekend coming up, it needs to be seen how this situation will develop. This was also confirmed by a German reporter working for ZDF and one of the few mainstream media reporters in Iran.
US President Trump apparently said:
“They’re not going to have an execution, which a lot of people were talking about for the last couple of days; today was going to be the day of execution,” he told reporters.
“We’ve been told that the killing in Iran is stopping, stopped, and stopping. And there’s no plan for executions or an execution or execution. So I’ve been told that in good authority,” Trump said.
“But that’s just gotten to me from information that the killing has stopped, that the executions have stopped,” he added.
Asked whether military action against Iran was now off the table, Trump said: “We’ll watch and see what the process is, but we’ve been given a very good statement by people that are aware of what’s going on.”
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