Lebanon’s High Relief Commission has received hundreds of tons of Saudi relief aid at Rafic Hariri International Airport, delivered through an air bridge set up by Saudi Arabia to help over a million refugees displaced by the Israeli war.
The Commission deployed its staff and hundreds of volunteers to distribute the aid to more than 1.2 million refugees. Convoys have started transporting the supplies from the Commission’s warehouses in Beirut to shelters in the capital, Mount Lebanon, Bekaa, and northern regions.
Lebanon’s Environment Minister Nasser Yassin, Coordinator of the National Disaster and Crisis Response Committee, thanked Saudi King Salman, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the Saudi people for setting up the air bridge to deliver urgent aid to Lebanon.
He noted that 1.2 million people have been displaced from their homes due to the crisis.
Yassin highlighted Saudi Arabia’s long-standing support for Lebanon, from the civil war and the Taif Agreement to its key role during the 2006 war.
“Once again, Saudi Arabia is standing by Lebanon in these difficult times,” he said.
Maj. Gen. Mohammad Khair, head of the High Relief Commission, called Saudi Arabia’s quick response a testament to the strong bond between the two countries.
He told Asharq Al-Awsat that Saudi aid is the largest and most significant so far, boosting Arab and international support for Lebanon. Four out of ten aid planes have already arrived, with the last one expected next Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia's support for Lebanon extends beyond the air bridge and aid shipments.
Khair announced that a Saudi delegation, sent by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, has arrived to help distribute aid and assess the urgent needs of refugees.
The Saudi aid includes medical supplies delivered to the Ministry of Health, large quantities of food and shelter items, and 110,000 packs of baby formula, which have been greatly welcomed by displaced families.
Suleiman Shahrour, Secretary-General of the High Relief Commission, praised Saudi Arabia’s solidarity with Lebanon and thanked the Kingdom for its support.
He called on other countries to continue providing aid, as thousands of people are still in desperate need of food and shelter.
