Senior Lebanese officers defended the “repute” of Beirut airport by organizing a go to on Monday for journalists and members of international delegations to refute experiences in a British newspaper that Hezbollah was storing weapons there.
The Lebanese Shiite motion opened a entrance in opposition to Israel on October 8, 2023, in a present of assist for the Palestinian Hamas, after the outbreak of warfare within the Gaza Strip.
In an article printed on-line on Sunday, Britain's The Telegraph newspaper stated that Hezbollah is storing Iranian missiles and explosives on the airport, which is positioned within the southern a part of Beirut, an space thought of to be the group's stronghold.
Moreover, in line with this text, airport staff seen the arrival of “unusual bins” when the clashes between Hezbollah and the Israeli military started.
Lebanese officers instantly rejected these accusations.
Diplomats from Egypt, Germany and the EU amongst others, in addition to journalists, took half in a go to to Lebanon's solely worldwide airport. Guests entered two warehouses the place bins of products from Iran and different nations are stacked.
“The airport respects worldwide guidelines,” assured Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamieh.
He added that the Telegraph article is a part of “psychological warfare” in opposition to Lebanon and goals to “injury the repute” of the airport.
“Our presence is a message of assist” to Lebanon and “a message to all sides to say that calm is important,” stated Egyptian diplomat Alaa Moussa, though he stated the airport inspection didn’t it belongs to the tasks of diplomats.
The US, a key ally of Israel, clarified that its ambassador didn’t take part within the go to, however Washington is involved with the Lebanese authorities relating to the matter.
“Now we have been knowledgeable of the Lebanese authorities's announcement that the article shouldn’t be based mostly on details. We take these issues very critically and are following them intently,” State Division spokesman Matthew Miller stated.
Beirut airport director Fadi al-Hassan stated all plane arriving on the airport, together with Iranian ones, “are topic to the identical procedures at customs.”
Hezbollah didn’t touch upon the British newspaper's report.
Israel has for years accused the Lebanese motion of changing rockets into precision missiles, primarily in an space close to Beirut's worldwide airport. Hezbollah had denied these accusations in 2020.
Israel has bombed Beirut airport throughout conflicts with Lebanon up to now, most just lately within the 2006 warfare in opposition to Hezbollah.
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