Prime Minister Najib Mikati with his team at the Grand Serail on Wednesday. Photo provided by Michel Hallak
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati met with several members of his Cabinet on Tuesday to discuss the readiness of Lebanese administrations for a potential escalation of the conflict with Israel, according to a statement.
Mikati discussed with caretaker Environment Minister Nasser Yassine the issue of accommodating displaced persons, the emergency health plan, food security, and the available quantities of fuel. He also studied the airport and ports issues with Public Works and Transport Minister Ali Hamieh, in the context of cascading flight cancellations by airlines to Lebanon and the hasty departures of vacationers.
The budget was also at the center of a meeting between the head of government and Finance Minister Youssef Khalil, which was attended by Deputy Prime Minister Saade Chami, Director General of the Ministry of Finance Georges Maarawi and the Prime Minister's advisers, Nicolas Nahhas and Samir Daher.
Hezbollah has been exchanging cross-border fire with the Israeli army daily for nearly 10 months in support of Hamas in Gaza. Today, fears of a regional flare-up are intensifying, with Iran and its allies having promised to retaliate for the assassinations of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, attributed to Israel, and the Hezbollah military chief Fouad Shukur in an Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
In a separate meeting, Public Health Minister Firas Abiad held an expanded meeting with all health sector deans to raise readiness in case of war emergency.
During the meeting, the minister contacted the Finance Ministry to expedite hospital payments, enabling them to meet current requirements. He also explained the emergency plan's coordination mechanisms between the ministry, hospitals, and ambulance services, as well as the process for treating wounded individuals.
Abiad also noted that the ministry is equipping hospitals and health centers with necessary medicines and emergency equipment, and emphasized the importance of providing mobile medical clinics and specialized teams to address the needs of the displaced populations.