Hezbollah is reportedly storing a large quantity of Iranian weapons, missiles and explosives at Beirut International Airport (BIA), according to British daily newspaper The Telegraph, which quotes whistleblowers who work at the airport.
This information has sparked strong reactions in Lebanon, where Caretaker Minister of Public Works Ali Hamiye quickly called a press conference at the airport to deny The Telegraph‘s information, which he claimed endangered the airport, passengers and employees.
During his press conference, Mr. Hamiye categorically denied the “ridiculous” information from The Telegraph. He invited journalists and accredited diplomats in Lebanon to visit the airport on Monday at 10:30 AM to see for themselves that the claims made by the British newspaper are unfounded. Mr. Hamiye also urged diplomats to pressure Israel to cease its overflights of Lebanese airspace.
He stated that BIA has long been targeted by Israel, with decades of continuous denigration. He cited reports of a thousand Israeli violations of Lebanese airspace, particularly over the airport, as well as GPS jamming by Tel Aviv.
The minister mentioned that the Lebanese government is considering legal action against The Telegraph, with discussions currently underway.
Mr. Hamiye assured that Lebanese customs and security services are impeccable, emphasizing that it is unthinkable to question their work. He clarified that airport employees do not inspect arriving packages; rather, customs and security agencies do, asserting that The Telegraph sources are unreliable on this matter.
The minister underscored the importance of maintaining the smooth operations at Lebanon’s ports and airport to avoid disrupting commercial activities.
He read an email from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) denying providing any information to The Telegraph regarding the situation at the airport.
For his part, Director-General of Civil Aviation Fadi al-Hassan reiterated that all major airlines operating to and from Lebanon are leading carriers worldwide. He stressed that they conduct regular security checks at the airport and would halt flights if there were any danger.
He also noted an increase in the number of flights to Lebanon.
Additionally, the Air Transport Union in Lebanon (UTA) categorically denied the British newspaper’s information, stating it endangered sector employees and passengers, and invited all media to visit the airport themselves to verify that there were no weapons stored there.
One anonymous airport worker described the situation to The Telegraph, saying, “This is extremely serious… My friends and I were scared because we knew that there was something strange going on.”
The whistleblower also specified that the airport “has always been used for weapons storage,” but that “the practice has intensified since the start of the conflict in Gaza last October.”
Another airport employee, speaking to The Telegraph on condition of anonymity, said large shipments from Iran, including “unusually big boxes,” arrived in November, coinciding with heightened tensions and fears of war.
The Telegraph also reported that airport staff said that Wafiq Safa, the head of Hezbollah’s “security apparatus,” is a well-known but discreet figure at the airport. “Wafiq Safa is always showing up at customs,” said a whistleblower, citing his close ties with customs officials.
The article specified that the weapons cache at BIA is believed to include Iranian-made Falaq unguided artillery rockets, short-range Fateh-110 missiles, mobile ballistic missiles, and M-600 missiles with a range of 150 to 200 miles (240 to 320 km). The airport is also said to house AT-14 Kornet laser-guided anti-tank missiles, large quantities of short-range Burkan ballistic missiles, and RDX explosives — a toxic white powder also known as cyclonite or hexogen.
A security source within IATA expressed to The Telegraph their inability to act without “international legal intervention,” despite being aware of the situation for years. “We are hand-tied to do what we’d really like, which is to close the airport and have all the weapons and explosives removed,” the source said.
Another IATA source denied this information, stating that no statements were made to The Telegraph.
The British newspaper emphasized that these revelations raise concerns that the Rafic Hariri International Airport, located just a few kilometers from the city center, could become a major military target. It reminded readers that Israel has been carrying out attacks for years on the (civilian) airports of Damascus and Aleppo in Syria, where Iran transfers weapons from its production facilities for its allies in the region.
