Lebanon hosted a tour of Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International Airport to refute allegations of a Hezbollah weapons cache, which surfaced following a report in The Telegraph claiming such storage. Ambassadors and journalists from France, the European Union, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, and India were invited by Lebanese government ministers for the tour. However, access to the air cargo centre was denied, prompting the tour to be abruptly halted, as reported by Saudi network Al-Hadath.
The tour, scheduled the day after The Telegraph's report, was accompanied by Lebanese government officials including the Minister of Information, the Minister of Transportation, and the airport's director. Lebanese Information Minister Ziad Al-Makary emphasized before the tour that Beirut Airport represents Lebanon to the world and dismissed The Telegraph's claims calling them groundless, expressing concerns over potential negative impacts on Lebanon's summer season.
According to Al-Hadath, airport security prevented journalists from entering the air cargo centre, leading to the prompt cessation of media coverage and the Minister of Transportation concluding the tour prematurely. Despite the setback, Lebanon's government remains steadfast in challenging the allegations, with discussions of possible legal action against The Telegraph for what officials perceive as damaging misinformation.
In response to the controversy, Lebanon’s Minister of Labour and Transportation, Ali Hamie, condemned what he described as psychological warfare by Israel through false reports, affirming that Beirut Airport complies with international standards and is open for ambassadorial visits.
