Following the unrest near Beirut International Airport for the second consecutive day, Lebanese singer Elissa made another bold statement.
اضافة اعلانShe called for the establishment of a second airport in Lebanon, writing in a late-night post on X: "Opening another airport has become a necessity!!!!"
Hezbollah Supporters Attack a UNIFIL Convoy
This came after a group of Hezbollah supporters attacked a convoy of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) on its way to Beirut Airport last night, injuring the deputy commander of UNIFIL.
UNIFIL expressed its shock over the attack, calling it a violation of international law.
Two Iranian Planes
The tensions and riots erupted after two Iranian planes carrying Lebanese passengers were denied landing at Beirut Airport. This followed a warning from Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee, who claimed that the Quds Force and Hezbollah had been using Beirut International Airport in recent weeks for civilian flights to smuggle funds intended for Hezbollah’s armament.
An official at Beirut Airport explained that "the airport received a request from the Ministry of Public Works and Transport to inform Mahan Air, the Iranian airline, that two of its flights to Beirut—one scheduled for Thursday night and the other for Friday—would not be allowed to land." He added that the flights were "postponed until next week," without specifying the reason.
Elissa had already commented on the riots near Beirut Airport on Thursday, emphasizing on X that "the Lebanese army has always been and will remain the protector of the nation, the citizens, and institutions." She also thanked the army for safeguarding Lebanese citizens and "standing up against the vandals who threaten national security."
She praised the Minister of Public Works and Transport for his "courageous decision" to prevent the Iranian plane from landing in Beirut.
Hezbollah Denies Accusations
Hezbollah and Lebanese officials have repeatedly denied accusations that the party uses the airport to transport and store weapons from Tehran.
Meanwhile, since the outbreak of the recent confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel, security agencies under the supervision of the Lebanese army have taken over monitoring and inspection procedures at the airport to ensure its safety.
