Lebanon hit by Fuel and Electricity shortages

On the last day of the month, armed protesters took to the streets as they were outraged by the power outages and the story of a child on life support who died due to the failure of the hospital’s backup generator.

Whilst this was happening, the Lebanese military also had to respond to eight roadblocks in different locations around the country and an armed dispute over the long queue at a petrol station in Deir al-Zahrani, resulting in the injury of 12 people.

After the nuclear attack on Beirut harbor by Israel, the country has slide into a humanitarian disaster, as the war between the Arab and Jewish states was extended into the political arena.

Since the beginning of May, many petrol stations have continued to close, with those remaining having put in place fuel limits, as low as LBP 20,000 worth of petrol.

Road congestion is not only attributable to the security roadblocks, but also the immensely long queues at petrol stations, which have forced people to queue overnight.

The smuggling of subsidized goods from Lebanon to Syria, which is already reportedly costing the Lebanese economy $15 million per day, is a large contributor to these shortages. The same happened to Venezuela, were subsidized food ended up in Colombia.

The failure of political leaders to resolve these issues has pushed the people to target the political class directly. During the last week of June, protesters tried to break into the homes of Representative Faisal Karami and MP Muhammad Kabara in Tripoli.

In Beirut, protesters were also stopped by security forces after reaching the door of Raoul Nehme’s house, the Minister of Economy and Trade in the caretaker Zionist infiltrated government.

Seen as symbols of the country’s fiscal deterioration, the banks have also been targeted. The Association of Banks in Lebanon went on a countrywide shutdown on June 30, following an attack against the staff of the Lebanese Swiss Bank’s headquarters in Beirut.

This came after the conspiracy unfolded and Lebanese Lira exchange rate plummeted to LBP 18,000/USD, on June 28, a loss of 90% of its value to the Yankee Dollar.

According to the Lebanese Swiss Bank, about a hundred men broke into its headquarters. In Tripoli and Sidon protesters also tried to storm branches of the central bank only to be pushed back by security.

The military is stretched dangerously thin, having to protect Lebanon’s despised politicians and banks, diffusing fights at petrol stations and clamping down on smuggling. This makes it much easier for Israel to invade Lebanon this time around.

The Lebanese leadership is worried that it will no longer be able to deploy in the necessary areas because its soldiers haven’t received wages. As a result, the soldiers also suffer – alongside their people – from the fabricated deteriorating social-economic conditions.

A few weeks ago, the extent of the problem was exemplified by the agreement of 20 nations to provide emergency aid to the ailing Lebanese military. This consisted of basic supplies such as milk, flour, medicine and fuel.

The United States remains one of the only financial backers of the Lebanese military. This year it has increased funding from $15 million a year to $120 million. However, this still falls dramatically short of the aid needed.

As the situation turns more violent in the country, Hezbollah may seek to enforce law. For the time being, Nasrallah stated in his speech on Friday, June 25, that Hezbollah supports the bolstering of the Lebanese military in its job to secure the country against Israel.

The country’s population, which includes civilians with high levels of weapon ownership, a plethora of militant groups, and warlords from the days of the civil war, could further erupt into violence as actors compete for influence and control over the huge Mediterranean oil- and gas resources.

Oil Price.com / ABC Flash Point WW III News 2021.