Beirut: A senior officer from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) was injured and three UN vehicles were set on fire on Friday during clashes near Beirut’s airport road, local media and officials said.
Violence broke out when a group of young men attacked a UN-marked vehicle, assaulted its occupants, and torched three UNIFIL cars, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported. The Lebanese army intervened.
Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar TV said masked individuals carried out “suspicious movements” to provoke unrest.
UNIFIL said its deputy commander was injured and demanded a “full investigation” by Lebanese authorities.
Acting Army Commander Major Hassan Odeh told the UNIFIL commander the army opposed any attack on peacekeepers and vowed to arrest those responsible.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the “criminal attack” and expressed Lebanon’s appreciation for UNIFIL’s role.
Lebanese aviation authorities barred on Thursday an Iranian passenger flight from landing at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport, the only operational international airport in Lebanon, following an Israeli claim that Iran had been using the airport to “smuggle funds to Hezbollah.”
Iran slammed the claim, accusing Israel of continuing its “flagrant and constant violations” of international principles and regulations and Lebanon’s national sovereignty. Iran also said it would not allow Lebanese flights to land until its flights were cleared to land in Beirut.
Lebanon’s Public Works Ministry stated it was coordinating with Middle East Airlines and foreign counterparts to resolve the issue.
