Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon on Wednesday called on Secretary General António Guterres to denounce Hezbollah for its armament efforts in the Middle East.
During his Sept. 28 address to the U.N. General Assembly, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revealed that the Lebanon-based Shiite terrorist group, which is heavily sponsored by Iran, was building at least three weapon-production sites in the heart of Beirut, with the aim of turning its arsenal of missiles into precision-guided projectiles.
Israel intelligence indicates that Hezbollah possesses at least 100,000 rockets and missiles of varying ranges.
The latest intelligence suggests the new facilities are being built near Beirut's international airport, under a soccer field, and in the vicinity of a densely populated residential area, all with aim of protecting them from potential airstrikes by deliberately placing civilians in harm's way.
"Any country whose citizens take flights that land in Beirut should be anxious about Hezbollah's activity in the region," Danon wrote in a letter addressed to Guterres. "Ignoring this places them [passengers] in harm's way."
The ambassador further urged the international community and all U.N. member states "to condemn the blatant violation of international aviation laws," asserting that "Hezbollah has deliberately placed its missile production sites in the heart of large civilian population centers in Beirut, with the aim of using them as human shields for its malicious military activity."
"These actions are akin to a tinderbox and they clearly contradict international norms in general and Security Council resolutions on Hezbollah in particular," Danon said.
