BEIRUT, Feb. 25 (Xinhua) -- Lebanon's Defense Minister Michel Menassa affirmed Wednesday that Hamat Air Base remains entirely under Lebanese army control, dismissing reports that cast doubt on foreign activity at the site.
In a statement released by the official National News Agency (NNA), Menassa said the base is an integral part of the Lebanese Army Air Force structure and operates exclusively within the framework of Lebanese laws and military regulations.
Like other military sites, Menassa said, the base hosts foreign training teams working in accordance with the army's internal regulations and in support of various Lebanese military units.
Menassa clarified that Hamat, along with the air bases at Rafic Hariri International Airport and the Rayak Air Base, serves as a designated entry point for military aid delivered to Lebanon under formal foreign cooperation agreements.
Such assistance, including equipment and supplies, arrives through coordinated flights carried out with the authorization of competent Lebanese authorities, he said.
The statement followed heightened media focus on the base's status, prompted in part by reports of a security incident involving U.S. personnel stationed there under military assistance programs.
The episode occurred amid rising regional tensions, with Iranian officials recently warning that U.S. facilities in the area could be targeted in case of conflict. ■
