Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin has implemented a temporary suspension of Pentagon flights to Israel for top DOD officials and members of Congress due to the intensity of military conflict in the area.

The Department of Defense typically provides the aircraft and support needed when members of Congress travel overseas, including to conflict zones.

“I hereby restrict visits by DoD senior leaders to Israel effective immediately and until further notice,” Austin said in a memo. Any senior DOD leader that needs to travel to Israel will have to get authorization directly from either Austin or the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, depending on the position of the person making the request.

“I further discourage visits to Israel requiring DoD support by members of Congress and their staffs,” the memo said. “I hereby instruct the Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs to inform the appropriate congressional leadership that DoD support to congressional delegation visits will be unavailable to Israel during this period, and no DoD support shall be made available for congressional travel to Israel without my approval.”