Stray Bullets Hit 2 Jets at Beirut Airport

A general view shows Beirut international airport, Lebanon. (Reuters)
A general view shows Beirut international airport, Lebanon. (Reuters)
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Stray Bullets Hit 2 Jets at Beirut Airport

A general view shows Beirut international airport, Lebanon. (Reuters)
A general view shows Beirut international airport, Lebanon. (Reuters)

Stray bullets from gunfire celebrations for the new year hit two Middle East Airlines jets parked at Beirut’s international airport causing minor damage to the planes without hurting anyone, an airline official said Sunday.

Intense shooting in the air occurred around midnight Saturday in Beirut and other parts of Lebanon to celebrate the new year despite repeated warnings by officials for residents not to do so.

The two jets are now being fixed at the Rafik Hariri International Airport, according to the official who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations. According to The Associated Press, the official said the bullets hit the jets after midnight Saturday.

On Nov. 10, a stray bullet hit an MEA jet while landing in Beirut, causing some material damage. No one among the passengers or crew was hurt, the head of the Lebanese airline company said at the time.

MEA chief said Mohamad El-Hout told reporters earlier this year that the airport often faces such incidents, in addition to birds that fly in the area, endangering aviation.



Egypt Says Partnership with Spain is Crucial

Traditional 'Fanous' lanterns are displayed at a local market in Al Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo, Egypt, 26 February 2025. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM
Traditional 'Fanous' lanterns are displayed at a local market in Al Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo, Egypt, 26 February 2025. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM
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Egypt Says Partnership with Spain is Crucial

Traditional 'Fanous' lanterns are displayed at a local market in Al Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo, Egypt, 26 February 2025. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM
Traditional 'Fanous' lanterns are displayed at a local market in Al Sayeda Zeinab, Cairo, Egypt, 26 February 2025. EPA/MOHAMED HOSSAM

The Egyptian government has said that the Arab summit which was held in Cairo was a confirmation to consensus among Arab and African countries, as well as the European Union and the UN, on the importance of accelerating the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip and rejecting the displacement of Palestinians from their homeland.

It stressed that such displacement contradicts all principles of democracy and human rights that are fundamental to the developed world.

“The Arab summit reaffirmed that there is no solution to the crisis in the Gaza Strip except through the establishment of an independent Palestinian state,” said Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly on Wednesday.

The Egyptian position came during talks held between Madbouly and the President of the Spanish Senate, Pedro Rollan, at the government headquarters in the New Administrative Capital.

The Egyptian PM said relations between Cairo and Madrid were further strengthened following the historic visit of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to Spain last February, during which an agreement was signed to elevate the relations between the two countries to the level of strategic partnership.

“This reflects both countries' desire to intensify cooperation across various fields through practical and effective frameworks that provide platforms for continuous dialogue and consultation on regional and international issues of common interest,” the PM said.

Madbouly affirmed that Spain is an important partner for Egypt, both as a member of the European Union, with which Egypt has strategic relations, and in terms of shared Mediterranean relations.

He also expressed Egypt’s desire to enhance relations with Madrid across all levels, including political, economic, and parliamentary, commending the trade exchange rates between the two countries, which reached approximately 4 billion euros in 2024.

Madbouly affirmed that these numbers could be doubled, taking into account the nature of the needs, exports, and imports of the two countries, as well as their relative geographical proximity and direct shipping lines.

Relations between Egypt and Spain lately developed after Cairo and the European Union signed in March 2024 a Joint Declaration, in which the two sides agreed to elevate their relationship to the level of a strategic and comprehensive partnership.

Rollan indicated that his visit to Egypt aims to explore ways to enhance cooperation with the Egyptian side in various fields, especially parliamentary affairs.
“We are taking serious steps to deepen our existing relations with Egypt and to broaden their horizons, as partnership with Egypt is a priority for Spain,” he said.