Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport has come under effective Israeli surveillance following serious threats regarding potential Iranian flights landing there.
Lebanon’s Minister of Public Works Ali Hamieh confirmed that the Israeli military has accessed the airport’s control tower and issued a warning against the landing of a civilian Iranian aircraft, threatening to use force if necessary. The minister quickly intervened to prevent the aircraft from landing.
Israeli officials have warned against the transfer of Iranian weapons to Hezbollah via Beirut airport. The Israeli military spokesperson, Avichai Adraee, stated that Israel will not allow any transfer of weapons to the “terrorist organization” Hezbollah and that the Israeli Air Force is conducting flights in the vicinity of the international airport.
He acknowledged that Lebanon has so far acted responsibly in not allowing the transfer of military supplies via the airport, unlike Syria.
Adraee emphasized that no hostile flights carrying weapons will be allowed to land at Beirut airport, insisting that it is a civilian airport that must be preserved as such. A similar statement was made by another Israeli military spokesperson, Daniel Hagari.
In response, Minister Hamieh refuted claims made by Israeli sources that Beirut International Airport is being used for the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah, asserting that the airport is purely civilian. He added that all military aircraft operations at Beirut airport require the approval of the Lebanese military exclusively.
Fadi Hassan, the airport’s director, reported that only Lebanese Middle East Airlines is currently operating at the airport. Previously, Iraqi Airlines and Iran Air had been operating there until intensive aerial assaults targeted Hezbollah’s command center in southern Beirut last Friday.
Sami Nader, director of the Middle East Institute for Strategic Affairs, noted that Israel is prioritizing the prevention of supplies reaching Hezbollah, especially from Iran, which has led to bombardments of border crossings and heightened scrutiny of the airport.
He remarked that Israel fears the delivery of advanced weapons and logistical support to Hezbollah, expecting a significant Iranian response, particularly as the strike against Hezbollah is perceived as an attack on Iran’s project in the region.
Recently, Israel has cut off crossing routes from Lebanon to Syria by bombing four border crossings in the northeastern part of the country, both legal and illegal routes, following a notable exodus towards Syria.
On Thursday, the Israeli military announced that the purpose of bombing these crossings was to prevent the arrival of weapons to Hezbollah, stating that it targeted infrastructure used to transfer military supplies from Syrian territory to Hezbollah in Lebanon.
