Israel allegedly warned Lebanon on Saturday that it could bomb Beirut International Airport, after reports that Iran had recently transferred weapons to Hezbollah via civilian flights.
Asharq Al-Awsat, an Arabic-language newspaper published in London, quoted unnamed Israeli political sources as saying that Israel was investigating allegations that Iran had smuggled weapons through Beirut International Airport.
1 View gallery
A Middle East Airlines plane on the tarmac at Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut, Lebanon
(Photo: AFP)
Earlier on Thursday, Al-Arabiya reported that Tehran used the airline Meraj, which has recently begun flying directly between the capitals of the two nations, to transfer weapons to Hezbollah.
Israel has in the past accused Iran of using direct flights to Lebanon to transfer equipment and weapons to the militant group. Jerusalem also accused the Iranian-backed organization of concealing underground precision missile production facilities near Beirut International Airport.
The Israeli army regularly targets weapons shipments deployed from Iran to Syria for Hezbollah. In June, suspected Israeli airstrikes against arms transfers put Damascus airport out of service for nearly two weeks.
Earlier on Thursday, the United States sanctioned Lebanese entities for allegedly providing financial services to and facilitating weapons procurement for Hezbollah.