Hezbollah sought to mobilize supporters around Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport by calling for the resumption of direct flights between Beirut and Tehran, but the effort drew little response and was blocked by Lebanon’s security authorities, according to political and security sources.

Exclusive information obtained by Sawt Beirut International indicates that Hezbollah’s political and security leadership worked behind the scenes to rally supporters and encourage them to gather near the airport. The stated objective was to press for the restoration of direct flights between the Lebanese and Iranian capitals.

But the sources said the push was also intended to test whether Hezbollah could still mobilize its support base on the streets and demonstrate that it retained the ability to establish a physical presence at a strategically important state facility.

The effort was also aimed at reopening channels for the movement of goods from Iran, potentially enabling Hezbollah to bypass international and domestic sanctions, the sources said.

The mobilization failed to gain significant traction, with Hezbollah’s supporters showing little enthusiasm for the calls to gather, according to the report.

Lebanon’s security agencies also moved quickly to make clear that the airport remained under state control. The sources said the security authorities delivered an unequivocal message that the facility was a sovereign “red line” that could not be crossed.

The sources described the episode as a failed attempt by Hezbollah and said it is now being closely examined by Lebanon’s political and security authorities.

They said the episode also highlighted what they described as a significant decline in Hezbollah’s ability to organize and operate on the ground.

With tighter security restrictions limiting the group’s ability to exercise the influence it once wielded, and with its leadership no longer able to operate under what the sources called the “old rules of the game,” Hezbollah has increasingly turned to local residents and members of its support base to carry out security-related activities, they said.

The airport has emerged as a particularly sensitive flashpoint because it is a vital national facility whose security and operations are overseen by Lebanon’s official state institutions, according to the report.

The sources said the incident reflects a broader shift in Lebanon’s security landscape. Efforts to establish spheres of influence inside vital state facilities outside direct government control have become increasingly difficult, they said.

The regional and international climate, combined with tighter enforcement of state authority and the rule of law, has further narrowed Hezbollah’s room to maneuver at the airport, the sources said.