Egypt sends 2 aircraft to Lebanon loaded with medical, food supplies

Egypt has sent the sixth military aircraft loaded with medical supplies and foodstuff to Lebanon as part of the air bridge. Egypt extended to Lebanon in the wake of the massive warehouse blast at Beirut Port.

The humanitarian aid is in line with the directives of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, the Egyptian military spokesman said in a statement on Monday.

On 4 August, a massive explosion at Beirut Port damaged buildings across the capital and sent a giant mushroom cloud into the sky, killing at least 171 people, injuring around 6,000, and leaving as many as 300,000 homeless.

The trip is the sixth aid shipment to arrive in the Arab country from Cairo.

The explosion was caused by ammonium nitrate, 2,750 tonnes of which had been stored in a warehouse at the port for six years after being confiscated from a ship, Lebanese officials said.

Egypt has taken several steps to provide assistance to Lebanon, including the launch of an airlift to offer humanitarian aid and relief supplies and a sealift to help in the reconstruction of the blast-hit country.

The first batch of Egyptian humanitarian aid was delivered to Lebanon on 5 August, one day after the bombing, with a planeload of medical supplies.