Flash News

Bota

The EU opens an "air corridor" to send aid to Lebanon

The EU opens an "air corridor" to send aid to Lebanon

The European Union said on Wednesday it had launched a "humanitarian air corridor" to send aid to Lebanon as fighting escalates between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon.

The European Commission said three initial flights were planned to transport aid from Italy and Dubai to the conflict-torn country, with the first flight expected to arrive in Beirut on Friday.

"The EU stands by the people affected by the crisis in Lebanon," European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wrote in X.

“From blankets to shelter packages and medicine. More help will come."

Last week, the EU said it would increase humanitarian aid to Lebanon by 30 million euros in response to the ongoing violence.

Israel has intensified attacks on Hezbollah bases in Lebanon since September 23, leaving over 1,150 dead and forcing over a million people to flee.

Hezbollah has been declared a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union has blacklisted the armed wing, but not the political party. The Hezbollah political party has seats in Lebanon's Parliament.

Hezbollah fired shells into Israel on Wednesday and said it had thwarted ground incursions, a day after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Lebanon could face devastation like Gaza. Brussels said that, since last week, it was coordinating aid shipments to Lebanon from member states Belgium, France, Poland, Slovakia and Spain./ REL

Latest news