Now, the new government is considering repurposing a military airfield in northern Lebanon that, in the distant past, accommodated commercial flights. Hezbollah, once a staunch opponent of the plan, is now too weak politically to block it.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said during a visit to Kleiate Airport last month that it would resume commercial operations within a year. He announced an agreement to study the feasibility of the move and said a preliminary operational plan would be submitted within three months. However, Transportation Minister Fayez Rasamny noted that no specific date has been set.
Not all Lebanese politicians agree on the need for a second airport. Some argue it would help develop northern Lebanon's economy, while others dismiss it as a boondoggle, driven more by political motives than practical necessity.
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A plane on the runway at Beirut airport as Israeli strikes target Hezbollah positions in the nearby Dahieh stronghold
Kleiate Airport is located just six kilometers (under four miles) from the Syrian border. It was reportedly targeted by Israel in 2006 but has since been repaired by the Lebanese army.
