AFP, Beirut

Lebanese militant group Hezbollah yesterday urged the Lebanese government to reverse a decision blocking Iranian flights from landing in Beirut, following US warnings.

The Iran-backed group said in a statement that it “demands that the government reverse its decision to ban Iranian planes from landing at Beirut airport and take serious measures to prevent the Israeli enemy from imposing its dictates”

A Lebanese source told AFP on Saturday that Lebanon had denied permission for Iranian flights to land twice this week, after the United States warned Israel might strike the airport.

The first incident occurred on Thursday, when Lebanese authorities sent word to Iran that a Beirut-bound flight should not take off.

“Through the Americans, Israel informed the Lebanese state that it would target the airport if the Iranian plane landed in Lebanon,” the source said. “The American side told the Lebanese side that Israel was serious about its threat,” the source added.