Ministers from Germany and Norway have called off a trip to Beirut as Israel continues its assault on the city, according to the ministers’ press services.

German Minister for International Development Reem Alabali Radovan and Norwegian counterpart Asmund Aukrust had to abort and head back to Berlin “for military reasons” as they approached Beirut airport owing to a “rapidly worsening situation,” a spokesperson for Alabali Radovan tells AFP.

The ministers had hoped to visit to show solidarity with the Lebanese people, but their German military aircraft finally had to land in Cyprus ahead of a return to Berlin, Norwegian daily VG reports.

A Norwegian government spokesman has confirmed to AFP that the trip had been scrapped.