"Pope Leo XIV arrived at Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport on Sunday for the second and final leg of his overseas tour following his visit to Turkey. Footage shows the Pope's aircraft arriving at the airport and being welcomed by President Joseph Aoun and the First Lady, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Maronite Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi, and a gathering of clergy from various denominations. Army artillery fired a 21-gun salute, while church bells rang and ships sounded their horns for the welcoming ceremony, according to local reports. The Pope's three-day visit to Lebanon includes high-level meetings with government officials, civil society representatives, diplomats, and religious leaders, alongside a commemorative mass at the site of the Beirut port explosion. This marks the Vatican Pope's first overseas tour since assuming his position last May, succeeding the late Pope Francis. The Pope's visit to Lebanon comes amid heightened regional tensions and escalating Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon. It also follows threats from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government of potential military action if Lebanese authorities fail to disarm the Hezbollah group. Israel has conducted multiple airstrikes inside Lebanon since a ceasefire with Hezbollah took effect on November 27, 2024."