BEIRUT: As Israeli airstrikes continue to devastate Lebanon, urgent calls are being made to protect Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, the country’s sole international gateway crucial for humanitarian aid and evacuation.
The airport is situated close to Hezbollah’s stronghold in southern Beirut, raising concerns about its vulnerability to Israeli military attacks.
Since the escalation of Israel’s airstrikes last month, the airport has become a critical hub for aid shipments from countries such as France and Qatar. It has also served as a primary evacuation point for foreign nationals and Lebanese citizens fleeing the Israeli violence, even as most airlines have suspended operations due to security fears.
The airport was previously targeted during the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli officials have warned that they could unleash destruction on Lebanon like their operations in Gaza.
UN officials have emphasized the necessity of protecting the airport, arguing that any attack would severely disrupt the essential flow of international assistance.
Qatar’s Minister of State for International Cooperation, Lolwah Al-Khater, highlighted the airport’s role as “the only passage for humanitarian aid,” stressing the need for its safeguarding as an “absolute necessity.”
The United States—Israel’s closest ally—has warned Israel not to target the airport or the access roads leading to it.
Lebanon’s Transport Minister, Ali Hamieh, said that the government has received “assurances” from Israel that the airport would not be targeted. However, he cautioned that “there is a big difference between assurances and guarantees.”
Recent Israeli strikes have already damaged key infrastructure, including the main road between Lebanon and Syria, hindering the movement of vehicles across the border.
Matthew Hollingworth, the Lebanon director of the World Food Programme (WFP), underscored the critical importance of keeping the airport and ports open, as Lebanon heavily relies on imports for its fuel and food needs. “This is a country that relies on imports to cover most, if not all, of its needs,” he said.
Jeremy Laurence, spokesperson for the UN Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, reiterated the “paramount importance of international humanitarian law,” insisting that all parties must respect not only civilians but also civilian infrastructure.
