Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has relaunched the runway at René Moawad Airport in Qlayaat, northern Lebanon, presenting the move as an economic project for the Akkar region.
Officially, the airport is intended to create jobs, expand cargo activity, attract tourism and connect northern Lebanon with regional markets. Politically, however, the project carries a much broader message.
Lebanon is attempting to establish a second civilian air gateway that does not depend entirely on Beirut’s international airport. For years, Hezbollah has been accused of exercising deep influence around the Beirut facility, particularly over cargo operations, security arrangements and unofficial mechanisms of control.
Salam emphasized that Qlayaat is not intended to replace Beirut. Nevertheless, the existence of another functioning airport reduces Lebanon’s dependence on a single facility located near a highly sensitive area and under a heavy political and security shadow.
