 In November 1989, the Lebanese parliament met at the airport after the Taif Agreement and elected René Moawad president.Having been assassinated in Beirut seventeen days later, the airport was later renamed in his honor, by a decree from the Lebanese parliament, and thus the airbase was established and became under the control of the Lebanese Air Force (in regards to the equipment and facilities) and under the jurisdiction of the North regional command (in regards to defense and order).Middle East Airlines formerly ran flights between this air base and Beirut to serve Tripoli and the surrounding area.