World · Middle East · 6 hrs ago
Trump lifts US restrictions on flights between the US and Lebanon
US President Donald Trump has revoked four presidential decisions that restricted flights between the United States and Lebanon.
He signed the change on September 30, after Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked him to lift the restrictions during a White House meeting in July.
The restrictions began in 1985 after the hijacking of a US passenger plane that was forced to land in Beirut, where a US Navy diver was killed during a hostage crisis.
Later decisions eased some limits, but they continued to block direct commercial air links between the two countries.
Trump said the restrictions were no longer needed to protect aircraft security.
The US secretary of transportation is directed to put the change into effect and remove rules that conflict with it.
The move clears an obstacle to direct flights, but those flights will not resume immediately.
Donald Trump lifted decades-old US restrictions on flights between the United States and Lebanon.
He said restrictions imposed under four presidential determinations were no longer necessary to ensure aircraft security.
Trump signed the decision on September 30, and it was published in the Federal Register.
The move followed a July meeting at the White House, where Lebanese President Joseph Aoun asked Trump to lift the restrictions.
The decision removes a major obstacle to restoring direct air links, but does not mean direct commercial flights will resume immediately.
- Who
- US President Donald Trump lifted the restrictions after a request from Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
- What
- The decision revokes four presidential determinations restricting flights between the United States and Lebanon.
- When
- Trump signed the decision on September 30, 2026. It was published in the Federal Register.
- Where
- The restrictions concerned flights between the United States and Lebanon.
- Why
- Trump said the restrictions were no longer necessary to ensure aircraft security. Aoun had requested that they be lifted.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
no longer necessary
a sign of confidence in the measures taken by the Lebanese state to guarantee the security of civil aviation
opens the door to the resumption of direct flights between Lebanon and the United States
The Reagan administration introduced restrictions after the hijacking of TWA Flight 847.
Foreign carriers were permitted to transport cargo to Lebanon.
Ticket sales to Lebanon and flights with stopovers were authorised.
A US decision granted exemptions to certain American carriers operating under contracts with the US government.
Aoun asked Trump to lift the restrictions during a meeting at the White House.
Trump signed the decision revoking all four presidential determinations.
- Presidential determinations revoked
- 4
- Decision signed
- September 30, 2026
- Aoun-Trump meeting
- July 2026, White House
- Original restrictions
- Introduced in 1985
- Immediate effect
- US Secretary of Transportation directed to implement the change immediately
Sources
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