With tensions escalating in Lebanon, new reports have emerged detailing Hezbollah’s extensive armament at Beirut’s main civil airport, raising alarms about the potential for a catastrophic explosion.
Why it matters: Hezbollah’s stockpiling of weapons at Rafik Hariri International Airport, just four miles from central Beirut, could turn the airport into a major military target, similar to the devastating 2020 Beirut port blast.
Details: According to unnamed sources cited by The Telegraph, Hezbollah is storing significant quantities of Iranian weapons, missiles, and explosives at the airport.
The cache includes unguided Iranian-made Falaq artillery missiles, short-range Fateh-110 missiles, ballistic missiles, and M-600 missiles with ranges of 150 to 200 miles.
Additional armaments at the airport include AT-14 Kornet laser-guided anti-tank missiles, Burkan short-range ballistic missiles, and RDX, a toxic white powder also known as cyclonite.
What they’re saying: An airport worker, speaking anonymously to The Telegraph, described the situation as extremely dangerous. “The large, mysterious boxes arriving on direct flights from Iran are a sign that things have gotten worse,” he said.
“When they started coming through the airport, my friends and I got scared because we knew something strange was happening.”
The big picture: The worker warned that an attack or explosion at the airport could cause significant damage, similar to the Beirut port explosion. “Beirut would be isolated from the world, not to mention the number of casualties and damage if such an explosion occurred,” he said. “It is only a matter of time before a disaster occurs at the airport as well.”
Escalating concerns: Hezbollah has long been accused of using the airport to store weapons, but sources claim the situation has intensified since the Israeli-Hamas conflict began in October.
In November, “unusually large boxes” arrived on a direct flight from Iran, coinciding with heightened tensions in Lebanon.
Flashback: The Israeli army has previously stated that Hezbollah’s strategy of hiding weapons in civilian areas aims to provoke Israeli strikes, endangering Lebanese civilians and potentially inciting international backlash against Israel.
What they’re saying: Ghassan Hasbani, former Deputy Prime Minister and representative of the Lebanese Forces Party, expressed increasing concern over Hezbollah’s control of the airport. “The transfer of weapons from Iran to Hezbollah through border crossings poses a significant threat,” he said.
“It is very difficult to know who can take action in this regard,” Hasbani added, noting Hezbollah’s influence extends beyond the airport to the port, judiciary, and broader society.
Between the lines: Despite Western sanctions, airport workers claim that Wafiq Safa, Hezbollah’s second-in-command and head of the party’s security service, plays a significant role at the airport.
“Wafiq Safa always appears at customs,” said one whistleblower, citing his close relationships with customs managers. “I feel that if we do not do what they tell us, our families will be in danger.”
The bottom line: A security source at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) told The Telegraph, “We have been aware of this for years, but we are unable to do anything without international legal action. Our hands are tied in terms of doing what we really want, which is closing the airport and removing all weapons and explosives.”
What to watch: The international community’s response will be crucial in determining whether measures can be taken to prevent a potential disaster at Beirut’s airport, mirroring the tragic events of the 2020 port explosion.
