Russia asked Lebanon Friday to ensure that flights from Beirut airport avoid an area over the eastern Mediterranean for the next three days, Transport and Public Works Minister Ghazi Zoaiter said.

Russia asked Lebanon Friday to ensure that flights from Beirut airport avoid an area over the eastern Mediterranean for the next three days, Transport and Public Works Minister Ghazi Zoaiter said.

Russia, which is carrying out air strikes against the terrorist groups in Syria, "has asked the Lebanese authorities that planes leaving Beirut airport towards the west avoid overflying an area in Mediterranean territorial waters because of maneuvers on Saturday, Sunday and Monday," he said.

Zoaiter said Lebanese authorities had "reservations about the Russian request" and were "studying it."

Middle East Airlines, Lebanon's national carrier, later said that “all of Saturday's flights will take off on time.”