Lebanese Aviation Ban Will Not Close Iran-Hezbollah Funding Network

JAKARTA - Lebanon's decision to suspend flights indefinitely to and from Iran on Tuesday will not have a significant impact on Hezbollah's supply network with Tehran, said a political source close to the group and analysts familiar with the matter.

"Iran has developed many interconnected ways to support their allies in Lebanon and the region, and are not limited to direct remittances to them. They can overcome barriers that hinder them, such as Iran's flight restrictions," the source told The National. , as quoted February 20.

The ban, issued after the Israeli military accused Tehran of using civilian aircraft to smuggle cash to arm Lebanese militant groups, could affect re-environment and reconstruction efforts in southern Lebanon for the time being, where residents complained of delays in compensation payments.

However, Hezbollah, which is part of Iran-led "Poros Resistance", may be able to rely on advanced and diverse Iranian support networks with their proxies.

"Farther Yemen and complexes geographically, and have been under siege for years, including its ports and beaches during the war about 10 years ago. But Iran's expertise remains able to evade obstacles, including sending military equipment and capabilities," the political source explained.

Unofficial talks continue, they said, on various forms of deals, including cryptocurrencies and precious metals.

Last week, Lebanese authorities blocked a plane from Iran to land in Lebanon. Lebanese security sources said Israel had warned Lebanon it would attack Beirut airport if the Iranian plane landed, the AFP reported.

The day before, Avichay Adraee, Israel's military spokesman, accused Iran's Quds IRGC and Hezbollah forces of using Beirut airport to "smuggle allocated funds to arm Hezbollah with the aim of carrying out attacks on Israel".

The Lebanese ban sparked days of strong protests by Hezbollah supporters near the airport. Hezbollah urged the Lebanese government to overturn the decision, calling it "compliance with enemy orders", referring to Israel.

Meanwhile, political analyst Karim El Mufti told The National the ban was "especially a political move" by the new Lebanese government.

Despite protests, Lebanese authorities on Tuesday extended the ban on all Iranian flights without specifying how long the action would remain in effect.

It is known that Iran has long been accused of providing funds and weapons to Hezbollah, especially through the porous Lebanese-Suriah border.

The fall of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad's regime in a lightning strike in December saw the group lose its main ally and disrupt traditional supply routes, which reportedly increased the importance of Beirut airport as an alternative.

Hezbollah is known to need funding to rebuild its troops. Heavy cross-border fighting for months with Israel, which escalated to a full-scale war in mid-September, has dealt a significant blow to the group.

The challenges he faces are not just the military. Hezbollah provides extensive social services for its supporters, including education, health care, and subsidized goods.

Hezbollah also offered financial assistance to about 1.2 million people who fled during the war, including rental aid and allowances of up to 300 US dollars, according to residents in southern Lebanon, regardless of their affiliation with Hezbollah.

The group also pledged to compensate those affected by the conflict and help rebuild villages destroyed by months of war with Israel, through its NGO, Jihad al Bina.

If Israel's systematic targeting of supply routes and Hezbollah funding sources has added to the pressure on the group, Israel is far from strangling it.

"Hezbollah has demonstrated its ability to provide social welfare and support reconstruction in 2006," El Mufti said, referring to the previous war between the group and Israel.

"They will do it again," he said.

Hezbollah has previously shown common sense in avoiding sanctions, he said, adding the group maintains widespread relations in Latin America and West Africa, which also provides cash for the group.

"I don't believe Hezbollah needs to worry about his ability to secure funding sources. The fight for them is now more political than financial," he said.