BEIRUT — Clashes broke out on Saturday between Hezbollah supporters and the Lebanese army near Beirut Rafic Hariri International Airport, following protests over the government's refusal to allow an Iranian plane to land, Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported.
Hezbollah supporters have been demonstrating in front of the airport and along its access roads since Thursday, viewing the decision as an act of submission to Israeli pressure.
Protesters carrying Lebanese flags, Hezbollah banners, and images of the group’s former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah chanted slogans condemning Israeli and American interference in Lebanon.
Tensions escalated when some protesters attempted to approach the airport entrance, prompting the Lebanese army to intervene.
Security forces fired tear gas to disperse the crowds, while demonstrators responded by throwing stones at soldiers.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam convened a security meeting to contain the crisis.
The unrest also saw an attack on a convoy belonging to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), an incident condemned by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Following a separate meeting with President Joseph Aoun, Salam emphasized that airport security was a top priority and that authorities would not tolerate any threats to public safety.
"Public and private property should not be attacked. Freedom of expression has nothing to do with what is happening in the streets," Salam said.
As part of diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions, Public Works Minister Fayez Rassamani said that Foreign Minister Youssef Raji has requested a meeting with Iran’s Ambassador Mojtaba Amani to address the issue and seek a resolution.
The decision to block the Iranian flight comes amid allegations from Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee, who claimed that Hezbollah and Iran’s Quds Force have used Beirut’s airport to smuggle funds and weapons disguised as civilian cargo.
A similar controversy occurred on Jan. 3, when Lebanese authorities conducted a detailed search of an Iranian aircraft carrying a diplomatic delegation, sparking protests from Hezbollah supporters. — Agencies
