Israel says Iranians setting up airport in Lebanon for attacks on it

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant accused Iran on Monday of setting up an airport in southern Lebanon to enable attacks against Israel, presenting aerial images of the alleged site.

In televised remarks to an international security conference hosted by Reichman University, Gallant said the site, 20 km (12.4 miles) away from the Israeli border town of Metulla, could accommodate mid-sized aircraft.

Southern Lebanon is under the control of Iranian-backed Hezbollah, a powerful armed group against which Israel fought a war in 2006. Tensions have been rising anew in recent months.