Iranian airlines Mahan Air and Iran Air, the country’s flagship carrier, will not be allowed to fly to Beirut, Lebanese TV network LBCI reported, citing Lebanon’s aviation authorities.
The decision follows allegations by Israel's military that Iran’s IRGC Quds Force uses civilian flights to smuggle money to Hezbollah via Beirut airport.
“The Iranian Quds Force and the terrorist group Hezbollah have been exploiting Beirut International Airport international flights over the past few weeks in an attempt to smuggle funds allocated to arm Hezbollah with the aim of carrying out attacks against the State of Israel,” Israel's military spokesman in Arabic, Avichay Adraee, wrote on X.
The cancellation of flights from Iran to Lebanon was on Thursday confirmed by Saeed Chalondari, CEO of Tehran's Imam Khomeini Airport, who said permission had not been granted for Beirut flights.
Shortly after the cancellations, images surfaces on social media purporting to show Hezbollah supporters in Lebanon blocking the road to Beirut Airport in protest against the refusal to allow Mahan Air to land.
On Monday, Lebanese media reported that incoming flights from Iraq to Beirut are being subject to inspection to prevent the transfer of money to Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
Since the ceasefire began in November, both Israel and Lebanon have accused the other of dozens of breaches. Israel has accused Hezbollah of rearming after weeks of bombardment from Israel, targeting key infrastructure and the group’s top leadership.
Lebanon accuses Israel of territorial breaches and ongoing military action which has seen dozens of Lebanese killed amid the ceasefire.
Two weeks ago, Israel accused Iran of sending tens of millions of dollars to Hezbollah through clandestine cash deliveries, lodging formal complaints with the US-led committee overseeing the ceasefire, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal.
Iranian envoys have been flying into Beirut from Tehran with suitcases stuffed with US dollars to finance Hezbollah’s operations. Additionally, Israel has reported that Turkish nationals have been used as couriers to transport funds from Istanbul to Beirut, the report said.
