Lebanon reopened its airspace on Saturday morning following a 12-hour shutdown prompted by escalating regional tensions and security concerns linked to missile activity over the country.

Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny announced that Lebanese skies were officially reopened at 10:00 a.m. local time, in coordination with the Directorate of Civil Aviation.

Rasamny issued a public apology to both incoming and outgoing travelers, stating that the airspace closure and associated emergency measures were dictated solely by urgent security requirements.

“The safety of passengers and aviation infrastructure remains our highest priority,” he said.

The shutdown led to widespread disruption at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, where all flight operations were suspended late Friday. Authorities said the decision to close the skies came after projectiles were detected passing through Lebanese airspace.

In response to the reopening, Lebanon’s national carrier, Middle East Airlines (MEA), began adjusting its flight schedule to accommodate delayed operations. The airline issued a statement confirming that all scheduled outbound flights from Beirut set to depart after 1:00 p.m. on Saturday would resume operations from 2:00 p.m. onwards.

“Following the reopening of Lebanese airspace to air traffic, Middle East Airlines – Air Liban announces the resumption of all its departing flights from Beirut that are scheduled after 1:00 p.m. today,” the carrier said in a statement. “An updated timetable will be provided for the flights that were canceled, along with the schedule for the return of aircraft to Beirut.”

Airport Director Ibrahim Abou Alewe told local broadcaster MTV that authorities had acted swiftly to implement precautionary measures in light of the regional flare-up.

“After a 12-hour closure at the airport, we are now in the process of rescheduling flights to ensure passenger safety,” he said. “We took proactive steps to close the airspace in order to avoid any potential danger from missiles that had crossed Lebanon’s skies."