Hezbollah Calls for Lifting Ban on Iranian Flights to Beirut

The Lebanese group Hezbollah has urged the government of Lebanon to lift the ban on Iranian planes landing at Beirut Airport. This ban was imposed after the Israeli army warned that the Quds Force of the IRGC and Hezbollah were using civilian flights to transfer money and weapons to the Lebanese group. Israel has repeatedly accused Hezbollah of using Beirut Airport to receive weapons from the Iranian government, but Lebanese officials and Hezbollah have denied these allegations. According to reports, Hezbollah stated in a declaration that it 'requests the government to lift its decision to ban Iranian planes from landing at Beirut Airport and to take serious measures to prevent the imposition of Israeli conditions.' A Lebanese source told AFP that Lebanon has denied landing rights to flights coming from Iran twice this week. This decision was made after the United States warned Lebanon that Israel might attack Beirut Airport. Supporters of Hezbollah gathered for the third consecutive day on Saturday, February 16, to protest the prevention of Iranian flights from entering Beirut Airport, prompting the Lebanese army to use tear gas to disperse the rioters. The day before, the Lebanese state news agency reported that Ahmad Hajar, the Lebanese Minister of Interior, called for an emergency meeting to discuss the country's security situation before the afternoon of Saturday, February 16. He also issued directives to identify the perpetrators and refer them to judicial authorities, stating that more than 25 people had been arrested for investigation regarding this attack. In response to these developments, the U.S. State Department condemned the violent attack by Hezbollah supporters on a United Nations peacekeeping convoy (UNIFIL) in Beirut on Friday. The U.S. State Department, in a statement on Saturday, February 16, expressed appreciation for the rapid response of the Lebanese armed forces to prevent escalation of violence and the Lebanese government's commitment to take all necessary actions to hold those responsible for this attack accountable. UNIFIL reported that Hezbollah supporters attacked the UN peacekeeping convoy on the way to Beirut Airport, injuring and wounding Arnaldo Lazaro, the deputy representative of UNIFIL in Lebanon.