BEIRUT: The Lebanese army fired tear gas on Saturday at Hezbollah supporters protesting around Beirut airport against Lebanon blocking an Iranian flight to Beirut this week after the Israeli military accused Tehran of using civilian aircraft to smuggle cash to Beirut to arm the Lebanese group.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah called on the army to hold those who fired at the protesters to account. The Lebanese army and government `should have held immediate meetings to prevent the Israeli enemy from imposing its dictates on the airport and from continuing its occupation of Lebanese territory... instead of using force against a peaceful sit-in on the airport road,` Fadlallah added in a statement.

Iran barred Lebanese planes from repatriating several Lebanese nationals stranded in Iran on Friday, in a standoff between the two countries following what Tehran described as an Israeli threat to attack it.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi spoke to his Lebanese counterpart by phone on the matter and both `declared their readiness for constructive talks,` state media said, without elaborating.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei on Friday had said that Israelhad threatened a passenger plane carrying Lebanese citizens from Tehran, disrupting flights to Beirut airport. He condemned the alleged Israeli threat as a violation of international law.

Attack on UN convoy The outgoing deputy force commander of the United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) in Lebanon was injured on Friday after a convoy taking peacekeepers to Beirut airport was `violently attacked`, UNIFIL said. Themission demanded a full and immediate investigation by Lebanese authorities and for all perpetrators to be brought to justice, it said in a statement.

Lebanon`s President Joseph Aoun condemned the attack on Saturday, saying that security forces would not tolerate anyone who tries to destabilise the country, according to a statement from his office. He vowed `the attackers will receive their punishment`.

Lebanon`s Interior Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar called for an emergency meeting before noon on Saturday to discuss the security situation, Lebanese state news agency NNA reported. `He affirmed the Lebanese government`s rejection of this assault that is considered a crime against UNIFIL forces,` NNA reported, citing the minister.

He also gave instructions to work on identifying the perpetrators and referring them to the relevant judicial authorities. The minister told reporters on Saturday that more than 25 peoplehadbeen detainedforinvestigation over the attack.

w`More than 25 people have been arrested by Lebanese army intelligence`, with another person detained by the security services, Hajjar told reporters after an emergency security meeting.

`This does not mean these detainees carried out the attack... but the investigations will show who is responsible,` he said. The army and security agencies would bolster measures to `maintain security and stability`, Hajjar added, and violations would be treated `with all seriousness`.

The French government also condemned the attack. `France calls on the Lebanese security forces to guarantee the security of blue-helmet peacekeeping forces, and calls on Lebanon`s judicial authorities to shed all light on this unacceptable attack and to go after those responsible,` the French foreign ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

The United States earlier condemned the attack. A State Department statement saidthe attack was carried out `reportedly by a group of Hezbollah supporters`, referring to the Iran-backed fighter group in Lebanon.

UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said a second Nepalese peacekeeper was also wounded and hospitalised.

Israelidrone attack Lebanese official media said an Israeli drone struck the country`s south on Saturday, without reporting casualties, days before a deadline in a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. `An Israeli enemy drone carried out a strike` targeting the outskirts of the town of Ainata, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) said, adding that `nobody was hurt` and that `drones and surveillance aircraft are still flying over the area at low altitude`.

The ceasefirebetweenIsraeland Hezbollah came into effect on Nov 27 after more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war. Under the deal, Lebanon`s military was to deploy in the south alongside United Nations peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period, and Hezbollah was also to vacate its positions near the border during that timeframe.

The deadline was later extended until Feb 18. Both sides have accused the other of violations, and the Israeli military has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon.

A senior Israeli security official said on Thursday that the military was prepared to withdraw from Lebanese territory and hand over areas to the Lebanese army `within the timeline` set by the US-French-mediated ceasefire agreement. His comments came as the Israeli military said late Thursday that its air forces struck Hezbollah military sites `containing weapons and launchers`.

Also on Thursday, Lebanon`s parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri said the United States had informed him that, while Israel would withdraw on Feb 18, `it will remain in five locations`, adding that Beirut rejected the demand.-Agenciesthe attack was carried out `reportedly by a group of Hezbollah supporters`, referring to the Iran-backed fighter group in Lebanon.

UNIFIL deputy spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said a second Nepalese peacekeeper was also wounded and hospitalised.

Israelidrone attack Lebanese official media said an Israeli drone struck the country`s south on Saturday, without reporting casualties, days before a deadline in a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. `An Israeli enemy drone carried out a strike` targeting the outskirts of the town of Ainata, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) said, adding that `nobody was hurt` and that `drones and surveillance aircraft are still flying over the area at low altitude`.

The ceasefirebetweenIsraeland Hezbollah came into effect on Nov 27 after more than a year of hostilities including two months of all-out war. Under the deal, Lebanon`s military was to deploy in the south alongside United Nations peacekeepers as the Israeli army withdrew over a 60-day period, and Hezbollah was also to vacate its positions near the border during that timeframe.

The deadline was later extended until Feb 18. Both sides have accused the other of violations, and the Israeli military has continued to carry out strikes in Lebanon.

A senior Israeli security official said on Thursday that the military was prepared to withdraw from Lebanese territory and hand over areas to the Lebanese army `within the timeline` set by the US-French-mediated ceasefire agreement. His comments came as the Israeli military said late Thursday that its air forces struck Hezbollah military sites `containing weapons and launchers`.

Also on Thursday, Lebanon`s parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri said the United States had informed him that, while Israel would withdraw on Feb 18, `it will remain in five locations`, adding that Beirut rejected the demand.-Agencies