BEIRUT — The Lebanese army reacted on Sunday to accusations leveled against it concerning the scuffles during Saturday's Hezbollah demonstration which blocked the road to Beirut airport.

“The army command confirms that prior coordination was carried out with the organizers of the sit-in regarding the commitment to the peaceful expression of opinion and not to block the road leading to the airport. However, a number of demonstrators then blocked the road and attacked the military units responsible for maintaining security and their vehicles, resulting in 23 soldiers, including 3 officers, suffering various injuries, forcing these units to intervene to prevent the attack on their personnel and to open the road,” the army said on X.

It added: “The army's intervention was applying the political authority's decision to prevent the blocking of roads and encroachments on public and private property, to ensure the functioning of public services and to preserve the safety of travelers, to maintain security and stability.”

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Earlier on Sunday, 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." Hezbollah also 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."

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.