Iran Air cancels flights to Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport indefinitely

By Rania Abu Shamala

ISTANBUL (AA) - Iran Air's flights to Beirut's Rafic-Hariri International Airport were canceled on Saturday until further notice, the semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.

Earlier, the Lebanese Transport Ministry said Israeli army hacked into the airport's control tower and threatened to target an Iranian civilian aircraft attempting to land.

The ministry then ordered airport authorities to prevent the Iranian plane from entering Lebanese airspace.

Israeli army spokesman Daniel Hagari had warned that the army "will not allow any weapons to be transferred to Hezbollah," including "through Beirut International Airport."

Lebanon's Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamieh has denied that the airport is being used to deliver weapons to Hezbollah.

He said the facility is "exclusively civilian," and "military air traffic at Beirut Airport is subject solely to the approval of the Lebanese army."

Israel's extensive airstrikes on Lebanon this week have killed hundreds, and assassinated Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah.

Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border warfare since the start of Israel's onslaught on the Gaza Strip, which has killed nearly 41,600 people.