Telegraph: Hezbollah has stockpiled Iranian-made munitions at Beirut Airport

The British newspaper Telegraph, citing informed sources at Rafic Hariri Airport in Beirut, reported that Hezbollah has stockpiled a large quantity of Iranian-made weapons, missiles, and explosives at the main civilian airport in Beirut. The Telegraph states that these weapons include Iranian-made Falaq unguided artillery rockets, Fateh-110 short-range missiles, M-600 missiles, Burkan short-range missiles, and other munitions. The report emphasizes that whistleblowers are concerned that with rising tensions between Hezbollah, backed by the Islamic Republic, and Israel, Rafic Hariri Airport, located only about 6.5 kilometers from the city center, could become a primary military target. An airport worker, who requested anonymity, told the Telegraph that suspicious large boxes arrive on direct flights from Iran, indicating a worsening situation. He expressed concern that an attack on the airport or an explosion there could cause significant damage, similar to the massive explosion in 2020 at the Beirut port that damaged a large part of the capital's center. According to the Telegraph, the Israeli army stated in a statement: 'Hezbollah's strategy of hiding weapons and operations from civilian neighborhoods stems from its intention to draw the Israeli army into targeting these civilian areas during heightened tensions.' The Israeli army said: 'If Hezbollah targets Israeli civilians from these sites, the Israeli army will have no choice but to respond, potentially putting Lebanese civilians at risk and provoking international outrage against the Israeli army.' Hezbollah has previously been accused of using the civilian Rafic Hariri Airport for weapon storage, but the whistleblower claimed that this storage has increased since the onset of Hezbollah's conflicts following Hamas's attack on southern Israel last October. The report also notes the escalation of conflicts along the Lebanon-Israel border, with Hezbollah claiming to have targeted Israeli soldiers' homes. CNN reported that the U.S. has provided Israel with security guarantees in the event of a full-scale war with Hezbollah. Guterres warned about the risk of war between Israel and Hezbollah, stating that a 'miscalculation' could lead to disaster. Concerns are rising about the expansion of war in the region, with Hezbollah's leader threatening attacks against Israel and Cyprus.