BERLIN, Aug 7 (Reuters) - Lufthansa Group

extended its avoidance of Iranian and Iraqi airspace on

Wednesday as Middle East tensions rise, and now will bypass the

area up to and including Aug. 13, it said.

The German group, which includes carriers Swiss

International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings, said

it will also suspend flights to and from Tel Aviv, Tehran,

Beirut, Amman and the Iraqi city of Erbil up to and including

Aug. 13 based on its latest security analysis.

Tensions in the region have spiralled in the last week

following the killing in Tehran of Palestinian militant group

Hamas' head and an Israeli strike on Beirut's suburbs that

killed a top commander in Lebanon's armed group Hezbollah.

(Writing by Miranda Murray

Editing by Madeline Chambers)