German airline Lufthansa Cargo has grounded shipments of military and security gear to and from Israel, blaming a British export control order and related sanctions that have thrown a wrench into its operations.
The suspension, announced on Saturday, affects all routes to Tel Aviv and stems from the UK’s Export Control Order, which bars the transport of such sensitive items.
“Lufthansa Cargo fully complies with all applicable laws and regulations,” a company spokesman said in an emailed statement.
“Due to the UK Export Control Order and relevant sanctions, the transport of military equipment and components to and from Tel Aviv is currently not possible for Lufthansa Cargo, independent of the routing.”
The spokesman added that the firm is “working on a solution to enable respective shipments,” hinting at behind-the-scenes efforts to navigate the regulatory maze.
The move underscores the ripple effects of international sanctions on global logistics, even for civilian carriers like Lufthansa, which insists the halt is temporary and targeted solely at defence-related freight.
The decision lands amid heightened German-Israeli ties. Chancellor Friedrich Merz touched down in Tel Aviv on Saturday for talks on security and trade, just a week after Israel delivered its advanced Arrow 3 missile defence system to the German air force.
The €4 billion ($4.6 billion) deal, Israel’s biggest-ever arms export, was sealed in a ceremony south of Berlin, symbolising deepening military collaboration despite global tensions.
Lufthansa Cargo had only recently ramped up flights to Israel. After pausing services at the start of June amid Israel’s operations against Iran, it resumed full cargo runs on 1 August with seven weekly flights: three on Boeing 777 freighters and four on Airbus A321s.
The broader Lufthansa Group, including subsidiaries like Austrian Airlines and Swiss, is now boosting overall passenger and cargo links, jumping from 64 to 74 weekly flights this month, with Frankfurt handling 21 and Munich 14.
For businesses reliant on swift defence logistics, the suspension could mean costly detours or delays.
