Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaking with Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut on March 25, 2022. (Photo provided by our correspondent Mountasser Abdallah)
BEIRUT — The Israeli army said Friday that Hezbollah is transporting weapons to Lebanon from Iran via civilian flights to Syria.
Here’s what we know:
• “Terrorist Hezbollah exploits Lebanon and its citizens for terrorist purposes that serve Iran's interest,” Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraae said in a tweet. “A chain to transport weapons has been discovered. It is led by Rida Hashem Safieddine, son of the head of Hezbollah's Executive Council.”
• “In order to ensure the confidentiality of the operation, weapons are transported on civilian flights from Iran to Damascus International Airport, seriously endangering civilians,” he added. The Israeli army high command finally indicated that it “will continue to monitor all Hezbollah's attempts to threaten the security of the Israeli state and will act accordingly to protect the security of the country and that of its citizens.”
• On April 25, Israel announced that it had identified a member of a drug and arms trafficking network on the Lebanese-Israeli border, affiliated with Hezbollah.