Hezbollah supporters gather to block the road to Beirut airport following the decision to ban two Iranian flights from landing in Beirut on Feb. 15, 2025. (Credit: Ibrahim Amro/AFP)
BEIRUT — Hezbollah said in a statement that protesters were surprised on Saturday when some "members of the Lebanese Army fired tear gas at them, in a reprehensible act that constitutes an unjustified assault on peaceful citizens."
On Saturday, Hezbollah staged a protest to denounce "Israel's blatant interference in Lebanese affairs and violation of national sovereignty" on the old airport road.
Since Thursday, Hezbollah supporters have been protesting against the authorities’ ban on Iranian planes suspected of transferring funds to Hezbollah from landing in Lebanon. Saturday's protest was the first one officially organized by the party.
Commenting on the firing of tear gas by the Lebanese Army during the protest, Hezbollah said: "This is a suspicious attempt to involve the army in a confrontation with its own people."
Hezbollah called on the Army Command to open an "urgent investigation into this condemnable attack and take appropriate measures to preserve the role of the military institution in protecting stability and civil peace."
Hezbollah also called on the Lebanese government to assume its "full responsibilities in protecting peaceful protesters and their right to express their positions and demands" and called on it to "reverse its decision to prevent Iranian planes from landing at Beirut airport and to take serious measures to prevent the Israeli enemy from imposing its dictates and infringing on national sovereignty."
Finally, Hezbollah condemned the incident against UNIFIL on Friday in the vicinity of Beirut airport, and emphasized its rejection of any "targeting of UNIFIL, as well as any harm to public and private property."
Tensions flared on Friday night for the second consecutive day in the streets of Beirut’s southern suburbs, amid anger from Hezbollah supporters following the ban on Iranian planes. A U.N. Interim Force convoy heading to the airport was attacked, and two Nepalese peacekeepers were injured. UNIFIL said it was "shocked by an outrageous attack on peacekeepers who have worked to restore security and stability in southern Lebanon."
The head of Hezbollah's liaison unit, Wafic Safa, previously described the attack on UNIFIL forces on Friday on the airport road as “unacceptable.”
“Hezbollah has good relations with UNIFIL, the coordination between the two parties is complete and Hezbollah respects Resolution 1701,” Safa told Al Mayadeen.
On Saturday night, the Lebanese Army carried out raids and arrests in Burj al-Barajneh in Beirut's southern suburbs in connection with the Airport Road incidents the day before.
