Lebanese Interior Minister Mohammed Fahmy stated on Friday that Saudi Arabia has not forgotten Lebanon in a long time, stressing that the Kingdom is at the heart of the region.
He made his remarks as the first flight of aid from the Kingdom arrived in Beirut as the country continues to reel from the aftermath of Tuesday’s devastating port explosion.
“It is natural for such rapid aid to come from Saudi Arabia,” the minister told Al Arabiya television.
He stressed that Riyadh and Beirut are bound by “very strong relations,” and the Kingdom “will never abandon Lebanon.”
“Saudi Arabia has not forgotten Lebanon and it has helped in reconstructing it for the past 60 years,” Fahmy said, hoping that the aid could also help lead to a breakthrough in the political impasse plaguing Lebanon.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz ordered the establishment of an air bridge to send relief aid to the Lebanese people who were affected by the blast.
Two planes departed Friday from King Khalid International Airport carrying more than 120 tons of medicines, devices, solutions, medical and emergency supplies, tents, shelter kits and food items to deliver to affected people in Beirut. They are accompanied by a specialized team from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) to follow up and supervise the distribution operations.
