A serious incident occurred in Lebanese skies, when a Middle East Airlines (MEA) pilot filmed two Israeli fighter jets, presumably F-15s, as they bombed Lebanon. These military aircraft were flying at a dangerously close distance from the Lebanese civilian aircraft, violating international safety standards regarding airspace. The episode raises concerns about the safety of civilian flights amid an intensified conflict between Israel and Lebanon.
Aviation safety rules: a neglected imperative
Civil aviation standards, set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), impose strict safety distances between civil and military aircraft to ensure safe flights. In times of conflict, these distances must be even greater, reaching between 5 and 10 kilometers to avoid collisions, severe turbulence or incidents due to the active defense systems of military aircraft.
However, in this incident, Israeli F-15s ignored these minimum safety distances, greatly increasing the risks of an air disaster. This type of violation of air law exposes civilians to unnecessary danger.
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Tragic precedents: civilian aircraft put at risk
The history of aviation has seen tragic incidents where civilian aircraft have been endangered by military operations, highlighting the risks inherent in non-compliance with aviation safety rules:
- Iran Air Flight 655 (1988): An Iranian Airbus A300 was shot down by a U.S. missile, killing 290 people, after being mistaken for a military aircraft.
- Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 (2014): A Boeing 777 was shot down over Ukraine, causing the death of 298 passengers, due to a missile fired in a conflict zone.
- Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 (2020): This plane was mistakenly shot down by Iran, causing the death of all 176 people on board.
These precedents show the devastating consequences that violations of aviation safety rules in conflict zones can have.
The situation in Lebanon
Since the start of hostilities in October 2023, Lebanon has been subjected to intense Israeli bombardment, particularly in the south of the country and the Bekaa Valley. As of October 11, 2024, the death toll stands at more than 2,000 people, with more than 9,500 injured, mostly civilians. This toll includes men, women and children who have been victims of massive air strikes, which have spared neither civilian infrastructure nor medical centres
In addition to the loss of life, more than a million people have been displaced within Lebanon, worsening the humanitarian crisis. Hospitals are overwhelmed, and many facilities have been destroyed or damaged by Israeli strikes. Lebanon’s Ministry of Health reported that 40 percent of the wounded were affected by trauma from the bombings.
