BEIRUT: Senior Lebanese officials on Monday defended procedures at Beirut airport during a visit for diplomats and journalists, a day after a British daily alleged Hezbollah was storing weapons at the facility.
The accusations surfaced amidst heightened tensions and frequent clashes between Lebanon’s Hezbollah movement and Israeli forces, escalating since the outbreak of conflict in Gaza.
British daily The Telegraph reported on Sunday that Hezbollah had deployed missiles and rockets at Beirut airport, citing anonymous sources who noted the arrival of unusually large shipments from Iran.
Hezbollah, however, has not issued an official statement in response to these allegations.
Transport Minister Ali Hamieh, leading the tour alongside Lebanon’s ministers for foreign affairs, tourism, and information, emphasized that the airport strictly adheres to international standards.
“We invited diplomats and journalists to inspect the airport to show that the allegations are false and that there are no weapons being imported or exported from Beirut,” Hamieh stated during the visit.
In a press conference preceding the tour, Hamieh denounced The Telegraph’s report as part of a “psychological war” against Lebanon aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the country’s sole international airport.
The tour included visits to various airport facilities, including an import and export center that handles a significant portion of air traffic, particularly services related to Iranian planes mentioned in The Telegraph’s report.
Fadi El-Hassan, the airport’s manager, reiterated that all aircraft, including those from Iran, undergo identical customs procedures upon arrival.
Egyptian ambassador Alaa Moussa, among the foreign diplomats present, clarified that their presence was not for inspection purposes but rather to express solidarity with Lebanon amidst the escalating tensions.
“Our participation sends a message of support to Lebanon and underscores the need for calm,” Moussa remarked.
Israel has long accused Hezbollah of storing weapons at various locations across Lebanon, including near Beirut airport, an assertion vehemently denied by Hezbollah. In the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, Beirut airport was targeted by Israeli airstrikes.
Rola Qassem, a visitor from Ivory Coast who had just arrived in Lebanon for summer vacation, dismissed the allegations as fabrications aimed at discouraging tourism.
“It’s all lies to scare people away from Lebanon and to harm tourism,” Qassem asserted.
