Israeli strike hit 500 metres from Beirut airport buildings, security source says

A plane departs Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport

BEIRUT (Reuters) -An Israeli strike hit an industrial area 500 metres from Beirut airport buildings, a security source told Reuters, saying it was the closest strike yet to the airport.

The source said the area hit was full of car repair garages.

The boss of Lebanon's national carrier Middle East Airlines Mohammad al-Hout said the airport was operating normally.

"The Beirut airport is not being targeted, there are no weapons there," al-Hout told Reuters.

(Reporting by Maya Gebeily; editing by Jason Neely)