Hezbollah-aligned Minister praises Beirut airport staff amid continued Israeli strikes

Lebanon's Minister of Transport and Public Works, Ali Hamiyé, an ally of Hezbollah, conducted an inspection tour of Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport (AIB) on Friday morning, which remains open despite ongoing Israeli airstrikes targeting the southern suburbs of the capital.

During his visit, the minister expressed gratitude towards air traffic controllers and Civil Aviation employees, emphasizing that their efforts "ensure that flights continue in accordance with international safety standards." 

He also commended the airport's staff, highlighting their role in maintaining "the smooth functioning of operations at the airport," and praised the work of the Internal Security Forces, General Security, Customs, and all the companies operating at AIB.

Since the expansion of Israel's offensive into Lebanon on September 23, which led to regular strikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut, where the airport is located, only Lebanon's national carrier, Middle East Airlines, has continued its flights to and from AIB. 

Since that date, it is not uncommon to see planes flying through the smoke from Israeli bombardments.

Beirut's airport has long been a logistical hub for Iran to supply Hezbollah with weapons. The facility frequently accommodates Iranian cargo and passenger planes that deliver weapons stockpiles to Hezbollah forces.