Iran plans new strategies to arm Hezbollah in Lebanon, possible airlift

Tehran studies using Beirut airport to send weapons to Hezbollah, raising international concerns and violating agreements with Israel

According to the Times, Iran is reportedly planning a new plan to send weapons to Hezbollah in Lebanon via an ‘air corridor,’ circumventing restrictions imposed by the Syrian crisis that has reduced Iranian influence there. The move, discussed in talks in Tehran, involves using Beirut International Airport as a logistical hub to supply the Shiite group, emulating what was done in Syria before the fall of Assad.

The international community, particularly Western countries, has expressed grave concerns, especially about potential violations of the cease-fire with Israel, an agreement that Hezbollah is already accused of not abiding by. The reopening of direct flights between Tehran and Beirut, no longer passing through Syrian airspace, has fueled suspicions of imminent rearmament. Land routes that were previously used to transport rockets and weapons from Iran to Hezbollah via Syria have been blocked, prompting Tehran to seek alternative solutions.

Despite successes in countering Iranian influence in the region, some analysts believe Tehran is also exploring land and sea options, not only for Hezbollah, but also to support other allied formations such as Shiite militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, and various Palestinian groups.

Lina Khatib, Middle East expert at Chatham House, stressed that Hezbollah rearmament is a possibility, but remains limited by the terms of the cease-fire agreement with Israel. Any attempt to boost the Shiite group’s military capabilities would risk triggering a new escalation in an already highly unstable region.

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