Following Lebanon's Transportation Minister Ali Hamieh's firm denial of a Sunday Telegraph report claiming Hezbollah weapon depots at Beirut International Airport, a minor embarrassment ensued.
The minister had invited representatives from all media outlets and foreign ambassadors to visit and inspect the airport facilities on Monday. Journalists accepted the invitation and arrived at the airport at the designated time, but they were denied entry to the cargo processing facility, leading to the official termination of the visit.
The Sunday Telegraph, citing Lebanese sources, reported that Hezbollah weapon depots are located at Beirut International Airport. The article alleged that Hezbollah had bribed customs officials to store weapons delivered from Iran at the airport, claiming the quantity of weapons was substantial.
The Sunday Telegraph stated that the airport depots house Iranian-made "Falaq-1," "Fateh-110," and M-600 missiles with a range of up to 300 km, as well as Russian-made Kornet (AT-14) anti-tank guided missiles, short-range ballistic missiles Burkan, and hexogen.
According to the article, Beirut Airport, located just a few kilometers from downtown Beirut, could become a primary military target in the event of a large-scale war between Hezbollah and Israel.
The Telegraph source mentioned that in November 2023, "huge crates" were delivered directly from Iran to Beirut Airport. "If the airport is bombed, Lebanon is finished," said another source.
Ghassan Hasbani, former Deputy Prime Minister and current Member of Parliament, stated that Hezbollah's de facto control over Beirut Airport has long been a concern for Lebanese authorities, particularly now that it is becoming a potential military target in the conflict with Israel.
