EMIRATES has banned walkie-talkies and pagers on all flights in and out of Dubai after Israel’s booby-trap attack against Hezbollah.
Flyers are not able to take them in checked or hand luggage and comes after the airline cancelled many flights on Friday.
In a statement posted on their website, Emirates Airlines said: “All passengers traveling to, from, or via Dubai are prohibited from transporting pagers and walkie-talkies in checked or cabin baggage.”
It continued: “Such items found in passengers’ hand luggage or checked baggage will be confiscated by Dubai Police.”
The Middle East’s largest airline also announced that flights to Iraq and Iran will remain suspended until Tuesday, while services to Jordan will resume on Sunday.
Israel is set to strike Iran after the Ayatollah sent a rocket barrage at the country on Tuesday causing fire to rain down over the country’s skies.
That’s made flying in the region dangerous as Israel could strike at any time with a revenge blitz of its own.
In the aftermath of the mass simultaneous sabotage strike, Lebanon’s aviation authority also made the same decision.
Thousands of Lebanese were injured, including Hezbollah fighters and innocent civilians.
Over 30 were killed and many lost fingers, eyes, or had large chunks of flesh taken out of their legs.
Israel is widely believed to have been behind the attack but has made no comment.
One security expert told The Sun that the strike would cause global fears that terrorists could use the same tactic.
Ex-military intelligence officer Philip Ingram said there could be “panic around the world” with airports and planes now more vulnerable than before.
He said: “It will have people thinking and thinking hard about wider security issues.”
Another aviation security expert said terrorists could use the same tactic to bring down a plane as it was just a “numbers game”.
He said: “You put so many [bombs] into a system, and it just increases your chances of something getting through.
“Even with the best technology and the best detector personnel out there, you’ll put enough stuff through a lot of different areas and at one point in time something is is frankly bound to get through.”
IDF spokesperson Daniel Hagari said Saturday forces had killed 440 Hezbollah fighters so far – but warned Israel that Hamas could attack events being held to mark the October 7 anniversary.
Hagari said soldiers were “continuing to fight and operate in Lebanon” and two divisions are manoeuvring in urban and other terrains.
He added: “So far 2,000 Hezbollah targets have been destroyed,” he says.
“Our soldiers are collecting a lot of intel and many weapons from Hezbollah.”
He said troops recently raided a command and control centre belonging to Hezbollah and “completely destroyed it and were pushing Hezbollah further to the north”.
The IDF spokesman added that Hamas “may try to carry out attacks” on the anniversary of the 7 October attacks.
He said: “We assume that on the date of the anniversary they will try to carry out terrorist attacks against the home front command.
On plans to attack Iran he said: “We will respond in the manner and time and fashion in which we decide on.
“We need to respond with actions not words.”
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu addressed his country tonight and slammed French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to call for an arms embargo today as “shameful”.
He said: “What a disgrace, let me tell you this: Israel will win with or without their support but their shame will continue long after the war has won.”
Netanyahu claims the war is defending “civilisation” against “barbarism” and “those who seek to impose a dark age of fanaticism on all of us”.
In a post on X today, Macron said: “There must be no war in Lebanon.
“We strongly urge Israel to stop the escalation in Lebanon, Hezbollah to cease firing towards Israel, and all those providing them with the means to do so to stop.”
