Baghdad-Beirut flights sell out ahead of Nasrallah funeral
BEIRUT
Flights from Baghdad to Beirut are nearly at capacity as airlines increase services ahead of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah's funeral, officials have said.
The pro-Iran group has called for a huge turnout when Nasrallah, killed in an Israeli strike in September 2024, is laid to rest in the Lebanese capital on Feb. 23.
"Iraqi Airways will increase its flights to Beirut from one flight a day to two, starting on Feb. 20," said Transport Ministry spokesperson Maytham al-Safi, citing heightened demand ahead of the funeral.
An Iraqi airline official told AFP that "all seats on Iraqi Airlines flights from Baghdad to Beirut are booked.”
The airlines' websites show that Iraqi Airways flights are fully booked until Sunday, with Lebanon's Middle East Airlines (MEA) nearly sold out.
Representatives from pro-Iran Iraqi factions, Hezbollah's longstanding allies in the Tehran-led "axis of resistance,” are also expected to participate.
Beirut airport will close for four hours during the funeral.
Hezbollah has said 79 countries would be involved in the commemoration, either officially or through "popular" support.
On Feb. 23 afternoon, thousands are expected to attend a "symbolic" procession for Nasrallah in Baghdad's northwestern neighborhood of Kadhimiya, which is home to a Shiite shrine.
On the other hand, for the first time in over 20 years, Lebanon’s government has dropped the term "armed resistance" from its ministerial statement, signaling a notable rhetorical shift amid ongoing tensions over Hezbollah’s influence.
The statement, endorsed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam’s cabinet, outlines government priorities centered on national sovereignty, disarmament and compliance with U.N. Resolution 1701. However, it omits any reference to "armed resistance"—a phrase historically linked to Hezbollah’s justification for maintaining its weapons outside state authority to counter perceived Israeli threats.
