Lebanese authorities refused to authorize an Iranian passenger plane to land at the Beirut International Airport following warnings from the IDF, Israeli and Lebanese media reported Thursday evening.
The Iranian plane took off from Tehran and was carrying Lebanese passengers.
Footage of Hezbollah supporters circulated online showing the supporters blocking roads near the airport, protesting the country's authorities' decision.
شبيحة "حزب الله" يقطعون طريق المطار احتجاجاً على منع السلطات اللبنانية طائرة إيرانية مشبوهة من الهبوط.قرار جيد من السلطات اللبنانية يحمي مطار بيروت من أي اعتداء اسرائيلي ويحافظ على سيادة البلاد، ويجب ان يستكمل بمنع نهائي لهبوط جميع الطائرات الايرانية في مطار بيروت.… pic.twitter.com/p03HcP2q81
— طوني بولس (@TonyBouloss) February 13, 2025
What was the warning?
IDF Arabic Spokesman Avichay Adraee tweeted on Wednesday that Iran had been "explotioning international flights over the past few weeks" by attempting to smuggle money to Hezbollah to help arm them "with the aim of carrying out attacks against the State of Israel."
#عاجل ‼️ يستغل فيلق القدس الإيراني وحزب الله الارهابي على مدار الأسابيع الأخيرة #مطار_بيروت الدولي من خلال رحلات مدنية وذلك في محاولة لتهريب أموال مخصصة لتسلح حزب الله بهدف تنفيذ اعتداءات ضد دولة إسرائيل. يبقى جيش الدفاع على تواصل مع آلية المراقبة لتطبيق وقف إطلاق النار وينقل…
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) February 12, 2025
He reiterated that the IDF is following the ceasefire agreement that was made and they have been sending information to Lebanese authorities to help thwart these transfer attempts.
"Despite the efforts made, we estimate that some of these money smuggling attempts have succeeded," he wrote.
Not the first Iranian airplane to be redirected back to Iran
Israel had allegedly breached the communication network of the control tower at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport and warned an Iranian plane against landing in September 2024, prompting the aircraft to turn around and return to Tehran.
According to reports, Israel supposedly hacked into the communications system of the Beirut control tower, warning that it would not allow the landing of a cargo plane from "Qasem Air," Flight No. QFZ9964, as it was approaching for landing.
Lebanon's Transport Minister, Ali Hamieh, stated to the Lebanese newspaper "An-Nahar" that the IDF intercepted the radio frequency of the international airport's control tower and warned that it would attack the airport if an Iranian civilian aircraft on its way to Lebanon landed there.
The minister reported that he quickly intervened and prohibited the landing of that aircraft.