Lebanese terror group Hezbollah has utilized Beirut-Rafic Al Hariri International Airport to transfer and store significant quantities of Iranian weapons in preparation for potential conflict with Israel, reported the British Telegraph on Sunday.

Hezbollah traditionally receives weaponry from its primary supplier, the Iranian regime, using a land corridor through Iraq and Syria. Over the past decade, Israeli airstrikes have targeted these shipments. Disruptions at Syria’s Damascus Airport early in the current conflict may have prompted increased use of direct flights to Lebanon.

Shipments have reportedly intensified since the onset of hostilities, with whistleblowers telling the Telegraph that unusually large crates began arriving directly from Iran since November.

Concerns among airport workers are heightened, fearing Israeli strikes could target Hezbollah’s weapon stores, potentially leading to a catastrophe akin to the Beirut port explosion in 2020, fueled by ammonium nitrate, according to the report.

Hezbollah’s influence over the airport has long been recognized, with some leaders facing Western sanctions for using it in smuggling operations. Whistleblowers allege that senior Hezbollah figures openly roam the airport grounds, displaying newfound wealth amid Lebanon’s enduring economic woes.

A security source from the International Air Transport Association acknowledged longstanding awareness of these activities but noted international legal constraints prevent decisive action. Following the Telegraph’s report, Lebanese Transportation Minister Ali Hamieh convened a press conference to vehemently deny allegations of weapons storage at the airport, accusing Israel of satellite interference and airspace violations.

Reports suggest Hamieh has ties to Hezbollah and has overseen airport construction projects potentially facilitating the group’s operations. Hezbollah’s infiltration allegedly extends across airport administration, including radars, cameras, and warehouses. Israel has repeatedly warned that Hezbollah exploits civilian areas for weapon storage, heightening regional tensions.