Report by Raneem Bou Khzam, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi
A recent article published by the British newspaper The Telegraph has raised serious concerns by alleging that Hezbollah is storing large quantities of Iranian weapons, including missiles and explosives, at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport.
According to the article, sources identified as airport workers reported that Hezbollah has been receiving substantial shipments of weapons from Iran.
Notably, the article mentions specific missiles, including Falaq, Fateh 110, and M600. These reports claim that large, mysterious crates have been arriving on direct flights from Iran, with the frequency of these shipments increasing since November.
The sources also pointed out a notable increase in visits to the airport by Wafic Safa, Hezbollah's security official, particularly to the customs department.
Furthermore, The Telegraph cites an anonymous security source from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), who stated that the entry of weapons through the airport has been known for years, but there has been no international legal action to address it.
In response to these allegations, Lebanon’s Public Works and Transport Minister, Ali Hamie, quickly issued a denial directly from the airport
, saying that the matter is related to sovereignty.
After reviewing the article, it became clear that the Telegraph had modified details, removed any position attributed to IATA, and returned to attributing its information to a security source in an international navigation agency.
These claims are not new but noted the timing of this report is particularly significant given the recent escalations between Hezbollah and Israel, including mutual attacks.
Hezbollah’s Secretary-General has previously stated on multiple occasions that the group does not use the airport for transporting weapons.
The article’s claims have added tension to an already volatile situation, as the Israeli military continues to target Hezbollah convoys in Syria and along the Lebanon-Syria border, claiming these are Iranian weapon shipments intended for Hezbollah.