LONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Germany's Lufthansa Group

and its unit Swiss International Air Lines have

cancelled all passenger and cargo flights to and from Tel Aviv

with immediate effect through Aug. 8, spokespeople for the

airlines said on Thursday.

"The reason for this is the current development in the

region," a Lufthansa spokesperson said.

The German airline group has also extended a halt on its

flights to and from the Lebanese capital Beirut through Aug. 12,

according to the spokesperson.

Swiss International is suspending flights from Zurich to Tel

Aviv through Aug. 8 and to Beirut through Aug. 12, a

spokesperson for the company said.

A number of airlines have cancelled or suspended flights

as Lebanon braces for retaliation from Israel since a strike on

Saturday in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights killed 12

children and teenagers. Hezbollah has denied blame.

(Reportid DVIVUng by Ilona Wissenbach in Frankfurt;

Additional reporting by Dave Graham in Zurich

Writing by Rachel More, Editing by Friederike Heine and David

Evans)