An Iranian cargo plane en route to Lebanon or Syria was turned back over Iraqi airspace on Saturday after suspicions arose that it was carrying weapons for Hezbollah. According to a Times of Israel report, data from flight tracking websites revealed that a Qeshm Fars Air flight, which had departed from Tehran, made a U-turn after the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued warnings regarding the aircraft.
Earlier in the week, Lebanon’s transport ministry had instructed an Iranian aircraft to avoid its airspace after Israel warned Beirut airport’s air traffic control that it would use force if the plane attempted to land.
Meanwhile, Israel has continued its military campaign against Hezbollah, launching airstrikes across Lebanon. On Saturday, Israeli forces targeted Hezbollah fighters inside a mosque in southern Lebanon. The Iran-backed militant group confirmed that its fighters were engaged in confrontations with Israeli troops along Lebanon’s southern border.
Reports have also emerged that Hezbollah’s senior leader, Hashem Safieddine considered a potential successor to current leader Hassan Nasrallah has been “unreachable” following an Israeli airstrike that hit an underground bunker in Beirut. However, there has been no official response from Hezbollah on the matter.
Since launching an intensified military campaign against Hezbollah strongholds on September 23, Israeli strikes have killed over 1,100 people. On the ground, Hezbollah claimed that its fighters had forced Israeli soldiers to retreat during clashes in the border region on Saturday.