Lebanese Army seals Beirut's Dahieh with barbed wire

The area around Rafic Hariri International Airport in Beirut has seen an intensified security presence, with Lebanese Army personnel and military intelligence deployed in large numbers.

The army closed off the entrances to Beirut's Dahieh using barbed wire around the airport. The move aims to prevent any attacks, roadblocks, or disruptions affecting travelers and arrivals at the airport.

This heightened alert follows calls made by Hezbollah supporters on Saturday evening, prompting precautionary steps by the Lebanese Army.

In addition to the airport area, the army has closed most checkpoints near Sidon and the Ain al-Hilweh refugee camp. Security forces have also been stationed at the entrances of several villages in Baalbek and the Bekaa region, covering areas from the Jbeil roundabout, Douris, Riyaq, and Zahle, all the way to the northern Bekaa entrance of Brital.

Earlier on Saturday, the Lebanese Army issued a stern statement warning citizens against joining protests and movements described as “unpredictable in their consequences.” The statement highlighted that these calls, often spread via social media, were accompanied by “fabricated videos aimed at stirring tension among citizens.” The army emphasized that such activities risk destabilizing the country’s fragile security.

- Balancing rights and security -

While affirming its respect for “peaceful freedom of expression,” the army made clear its firm stance against any actions that might threaten security or disrupt civil peace, warning that it would not tolerate breaches of order.