Lebanon Rejects Allegations of Weapon Smuggling at Beirut Airport

Lebanon's caretaker Transport Minister Ali Hamieh vehemently denied reports that Hezbollah was storing weapons at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport. The allegations were published by the British newspaper The Telegraph, which cited anonymous whistleblowers working at the airport. According to the report, Hezbollah has been accumulating large quantities of Iranian weapons, including missiles, artillery rockets, laser-guided anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), and explosive substances, at the airport. The weapons are allegedly stored within the airport facilities with the complicity or connivance of airport staff.

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Minister Hamieh called a press conference to refute these claims, labeling them as "ridiculous." He invited foreign diplomats and media to the airport on June 24, 2024, at 10:30 local time for an inspection tour of the airport to verify the falsity of the allegations. The Lebanese government has also been in communication with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to refute these claims. The Lebanese Air Transport Association (UTA) issued a statement denying the reports and accusing The Telegraph of endangering the safety of the airport and its workers.

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The allegations come at a time of heightened tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, there have been reports of increased weapons shipments to Hezbollah through Beirut's airport. The Telegraph's report has raised fears that the airport, located only 4 miles from the city center, could become a major military target.

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In response to the allegations, many in Lebanon are calling for an independent investigation. The situation remains tense, with rumors of an imminent intervention by Israeli ground forces in South Lebanon to target rocket launchers that fire on Israel.

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