Hezbollah denies smuggling arms via Beirut airport

Hezbollah on Tuesday denied as “false accusations” a media report alleging that party officials are smuggling arms through Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport.

“We strongly condemn these cheap fabrications and false accusations and we also deplore the collusion of domestic Lebanese sides who worked on promoting these lies and turning them into judicial complaints against Hezbollah,” the party said in a statement, referring to a report aired by the Saudi-owned al-Hadath TV.

“These allegations and moves represent a major insult to the Lebanese state and all the Lebanese security agencies whose units are present inside the airport’s premises,” Hezbollah added, saying such claims are aimed at “holding Hezbollah responsible for any actions that might target the airport in the future and to tarnish the image of Lebanese security agencies.”

“This fabricated uproar about the airport resembles the Israeli enemy and its constant talk about the airport’s use for military purposes,” Hezbollah said, warning that such accusations “represent a cover for any Israeli aggression that might target the airport and its facilities.”

The party added that “all the attempts to distort Hezbollah’ image and its honorable resistance will not affect the morale of our people and their free will to resistance and confronting the occupation.”