Beirut International Airport witnessed on Monday a chaotic morning during the inspection visit organized by caretaker Minister of Public Works Ali Hamiye, in the presence of Beirut ambassadors and local, Arab and international media.
Hamiye’s invitation came after allegations of the British newspaper The Telegraph saying that Hezbollah was stockpiling weaponry at the airport.
According to our correspondents, journalists were denied access to the airfreight center, which resulted in interrupting media coverage.
Caretaker Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdallah Bou Habib pointed out that “no decision had yet been taken on whether or not to lodge a complaint.”
“The airport is safe. These are rumors and they create a ground for war,” he added.
For his side, caretaker Minister of Information Ziad Makary told MTV that “Hezbollah cannot store missiles in a place accessible to ambassadors from all over the world,” describing the article as “patently absurd.”
BIA: Chaos During Inspection Visit
Beirut International Airport witnessed on Monday a chaotic morning during the inspection visit organized by caretaker Minister of Public Works #AliHamiye, in the presence of Beirut ambassadors and local, Arab and international media. pic.twitter.com/mfwBMfqWag
— This is Beirut (@ThisIsBeirut_) June 24, 2024
“We are concerned that this could negatively affect the tourist season and the lives of the Lebanese. I think it’s all part of psychological warfare,” he continued.
Director General of Civil Aviation Fadi El-Hassan, Airport Security Commander Fadi Kfoury, and the heads of BIA’s security and administrative units were also attending.
Earlier this morning, caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati addressed the issues raised by The Telegraph article with Hamiye.
At the end of the meeting, Hamiye said, “We discussed legal measures that the Lebanese state will take against the newspaper, because this is psychological warfare against Lebanon and defamation of its reputation and that of the airport,” stressing that BIA is “Lebanon’s only air facility.”
The Prime Minister also held talks with Bou Habib and caretaker Minister of Defense Maurice Sleem.
