The information display screens at Beirut’s international airport were hacked by domestic anti-Hezbollah groups Sunday, as clashes between the Lebanese militant group and the Israeli military continue to intensify along the border.
Departure and arrival information at Rafik Hariri International Airport was replaced by a message accusing the Hezbollah group of putting Lebanon at risk of an all-out war with Israel.
“Hassan Nasrallah, you will no longer have supporters if you curse Lebanon with a war for which you will bear responsibility and consequences,” the message read, referring to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The message echoed similar sentiments to critics over the years who have accused Hezbollah of smuggling weapons and munitions through the tiny Mediterranean country’s only civilian airport.
The near-daily clashes have intensified sharply over the past week, after an apparent Israeli strike in a southern Beirut suburb killed top Hamas official and commander Saleh Arouri.
In a speech on Saturday, Nasrallah vowed the group would retaliate. He dismissed criticisms that the group is looking for a full-scale war with Israel, but said if Israel launches one, Hezbollah is ready for a war “without limits”.
Hundreds mourn Hamas deputy leader at Beirut funeral
Hundreds mourn Hamas deputy leader at Beirut funeral
Hezbollah announced an “initial response” to Arouri’s killing on Saturday, launching a volley of 62 rockets toward an Israeli air surveillance base on Mount Meron.
The Lebanese government and international community have been scrambling to prevent a war in Lebanon, which they fear would spark a regional spillover.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the hack briefly disrupted baggage inspection. Passengers gathered around the screens, taking pictures and sharing them on social media.
Israel and Hezbollah fought a month-long war in 2006 that ended in a draw. In the early stages of the war, Israel bombed Lebanon’s airport and put it out of commission.