A portrait of Hassan Nasrallah in the ruins of a street in Houla, South Lebanon, on Feb. 18, 2025. (Credit: Matthieu Karam/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Baghdad to Beirut flights are almost fully booked, a few days before Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's funeral on Sunday. Airline officials announced on Wednesday that additional flights are planned.
Hezbollah has called for a large turnout for Nasrallah's funeral, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the southern suburbs of Beirut on Sept. 27. According to an Iraqi official, government officials are expected to attend the funeral privately. Representatives of Iraqi factions, mainly Hezbollah allies, are also expected.
Additional Flights by Iraqi Airways and MEA
Iraqi Airways will increase flights to Beirut to two a day, starting on Thursday, compared to only one flight a day usually, said Iraqi Transport Ministry spokesman, Maytham al-Safi.
"All seats on Iraqi Airways flights from Baghdad to Beirut are reserved," an official from the Iraqi company told AFP. A source from Lebanese airline Middle East Airlines (MEA) also indicated that additional flights were planned from Feb. 21 to 25.
Beirut airport will be closed for four hours during the funeral, which will take place in Beirut's southern suburbs. Hezbollah said that 79 countries would be represented there. Hashem Safieddine's funeral, the presumed successor to Nasrallah, will also be held on Sunday, in his hometown in southern Lebanon.