New security procedures aimed at restricting access to the Beirut Airport’s Surveillance Radar (ASR) have seen members of Lebanon’s Shi’ite camp levy accusations of prejudice at the head of security at Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport, General Fadi Kfoury, according to an exclusive published by L’Orient Today on Tuesday.
Kfoury, who took the position in January and has since faced significant discontent from Hezbollah circles, has become the target of a “media lynching” by members and supporters of the Iran-backed group, the report noted.
The former head of the Lebanese Army Intelligence Directorate’s strike force has been accused of discriminating against Shi’ite engineers working at the airport. Some of the members, reported to have connections with the Amal movement, were said to have been refused access to the ASR department, a system responsible for air traffic controllers to monitor airspace and guide aircraft.
Kfoury reportedly took the measure out of concern that Hezbollah could gain access to the sensitive information. The report comes after he allegedly detained an unnamed traveler at the airport who was deemed unwelcome in Lebanon and is expected to be returned to their country of origin following questioning by military intelligence.
Sources at the airport told the Lebanese airport that “the radar department is an extremely sensitive area” and that “security measures apply to all personnel, not just Shi’ite employees,” which he said was standard practice across the world.
Airport is ‘waging a systematic war against Shi’ites’
Though standard, figures close to Amal and Hezbollah have accused Kfoury of being “full of sectarian prejudice, mainly against Shi’ites,” and of “taking orders from the Americans.”
“He is waging a systematic war against Shi’ites, with a clear political agenda,” an anonymous Shi’ite officer involved in the airport’s security told the newspaper.
Qassem Qassir, an analyst close to Hezbollah, added, “What is happening at the airport is a continuation of the campaign against Shi’ites throughout the country… Moreover, contrary to popular belief, the airport’s Shi’ite employees are more closely linked to the Amal Movement than to Hezbollah,” he added.
Despite accusations of prejudice, it is relevant to note that Hezbollah political bureau deputy head Mahmoud Qomati explicitly threatened the airport last week, announcing in a televised interview with Al-Manar that “no more planes will land in Beirut and no more ambassadors will remain in Lebanon.” The threat came as part of discussions on the requirement of Iranian citizens to now obtain a visa to enter Lebanon and restrictions on Iranian aircraft entering Lebanese airspace.
Hezbollah spokesperson Youssef Zein told L’Orient-Le Jour that “the party is not involved in this campaign” against Kfoury, claiming it was being led only by “independent internet users.”
Lebanon denied Hezbollah is running a smuggling network at the airport
Charles Jabbour, spokesperson for the Lebanese Forces, asserted that there was no campaign against Shi’ites and that Kfoury was unaffiliated with the Lebanese military.
“The equation is simple: Anyone determined to ensure the law is respected is systematically demonized and accused of working for Israel or the United States. His only crime is managing to break free from the deep state [embodied by the pro-Iranian party] and carrying out his national duties,” Jabbour said.
Kfoury’s colleagues made similar comments to Jabbour, arguing that he had been the target of the campaign simply because he was working to end Hezbollah and Iran’s smuggling activity through the airport, a task he was enlisted to in 2023 after Israel threatened the airport should the activity not end.
Lebanon initially tried to deny claims that Hezbollah was running a smuggling network from the airport, offering international journalists a tour of the facility in 2024. Despite Beirut’s attempts to assure the international community, reporters noted quickly that they were barred from accessing a key cargo depot and shown only a nearly-empty storage facility. The tour was arranged after airport workers told The Telegraph of Hezbollah’s arms smuggling in the airport.
Under Kfoury, the paper reported that several operations had already been thwarted.
