Flights continue to arrive at and depart from Lebanon's only international airport, the Beirut International Airport, amid fears of a military escalation between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel. Although flights continue to arrive at the airport, several airlines have suspended flights to the Lebanese capital. Arriving passengers have shared their anxieties over the increasing tensions. "We were hesitant about canceling our trip, but I prayed and decided to come and see my family. I won't stay long, maybe next year I will stay for longer," said a passenger upon arrival. The departure hall was crowded with people leaving for Arab and European countries, and some travelers decided to depart earlier than planned. "I'm traveling today because of the atmosphere and the pressure we live under. My vacation ends in ten days, but I'm no longer happy so I've decided to stop my trip and go back to work," said a departing passenger.
"My vacation is over, so we are leaving. We didn't reschedule our flight, and we had a great time visiting Beirut. We were a little nervous because people were asking us to leave earlier," said another departing passenger. Beirut International Airport is accustomed to non-stop movement and is often congested. Some sources said the recent uptick in traffic is typical but came earlier than usual this month due to the security concerns. Several countries are urging citizens to leave Lebanon. Confrontations between the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel rose recently after the latter accused Hezbollah of attacking a football pitch in the town of Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights, killing a dozen people. Israel retaliated by launching three missiles last Tuesday evening targeting Beirut's southern suburbs, killing Fouad Shokor, Hezbollah's top military commander, and seven civilians. According to Lebanon's national news agency, the Israeli army launched multiple rounds of attacks on the Lebanese side of the temporary Lebanon-Israel border on Tuesday, causing many casualties. On the same day, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that the Israeli side of the temporary border was attacked by rockets and drones from the Lebanese side, which triggered air defense alarms in many places and caused many injuries, and the Israeli army hit Lebanese Hezbollah weapons depots and other targets. Hezbollah Leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday vowed a strong and impactful retaliation to the assassination of Fouad Shokor, Al-Manar local TV channel reported. Nasrallah also threatened to attack factories in northern Israel, each, according to Nasrallah, worth billions of U.S. dollars.
Beirut International Airport continues operating amid tense security situation
People in Panama City have firmly dismissed U.S. President Donald Trump's threat to retake the Panama Canal, calling his claims "nonsense" and saying such a move even risks world peace.
After his presidential election win in November, Trump has made a series of expansionist remarks, including stating his plans to make Canada a U.S. state, rename the Gulf of Mexico, and gain control of the Panama Canal and Greenland.
Last month, Trump accused Panama of treating the U.S. in a "very unfair and injudicious way," and has refused to rule out using military means or taking economic action in his pursuit of the Panama Canal.
At the start of this year, Panama celebrated the 25th anniversary of the handover of the canal, which had been under the control of the United States for nearly a century until the end of 1999.
During his inauguration speech shortly after taking the oath of office on Monday, Trump claimed Panama had 'violated' the treaty and said the U.S. would be "taking it back." In response, Panamanian President Jose Raul Mulino rejected Trump's position and said there is no presence of any nation in the world that interferes with the administration of Panama.
Many residents in Panama see the canal as a symbol of national pride and consider it a crucial driver of the country's economy.
Milena Marin, a local resident, criticized Trump's remarks and called on countries across Central America to stand together to protect their own interests from U.S. infringement.
"First of all, the Panama Canal belongs to the Panamanians, and we are doing an excellent job managing it. Since we took over its administration, we have been doing very well. Those (Trump's statements) are words of attack. We have to take care of our canal. It has a negative impact since [Trump's remarks] affect both the environment for us Panamanians but also the image of the country. We have been doing a great job with the management of the canal. These statements definitely affect world peace. They bring such negativity around Panama. [We need] more meetings and dialogue with Central American countries, because the more united we are, the stronger and less vulnerable we will be. And I think that the union between the countries of Central America could be a great solution," said Marin.
Meanwhile, Luis Gomez, a local photographer, said Trump's statements are lacking in reason, and said the issue should be resolved peacefully, citing the huge military disparities between the two sides.
"The president's statements do not make sense and seem a bit illogical, since Panama is such a small country that we don't even have a [traditional] military. We have no chance of being able to confront [the U.S.] because they are a powerful country. We cannot compare ourselves to a country of such size. The impact would be overwhelming for us. The canal is important not only for Panama but also for the whole world because it allows ships and goods from all over the world to pass through smoothly," said Gomez.
The Panama Canal, which started operation in 1914, serves as an important international waterway that links the Pacific and the Atlantic. It was taken over by the Panamanian government in 1999 following the terms set out in the Torrijos-Carter Treaties, which were signed back in 1977 by Panama's General Omar Torrijos and then U.S. President Jimmy Carter, ending 85 years of the colonial enclave known as the Panama Canal Zone.
Panamanian residents dismiss Trump's claims of retaking Panama Canal