A building damaged by an Israeli strike on the southern suburb of Beirut, March 4, 2026. (Credit: Mohammad Yassin/L'Orient-Le Jour)
Energy Minister Joe Saddi and Telecoms Minister Charles Hage reassured President Joseph Aoun on Thursday about the proper functioning of the two sectors under their charge, as Israel intensifies its bombing campaign, targeting areas in Lebanon that are not traditional Hezbollah strongholds.
Saddi told Aoun that “there is no fuel, diesel or gas crisis in Lebanon,” according to the presidency. He also informed him of discussions with the World Bank regarding the construction of new power plants and contacts with Gulf countries, Egypt and Jordan for gas imports.
For his part, Hage updated the head of state on the status of Lebanon's landline and mobile networks and the measures taken to ensure continuity of service, particularly “in sensitive areas.” The two also discussed the possible repercussions of regional escalation on Lebanon.
In this context, the telecom operators' union thanked employees who continued to go to work to ensure the proper functioning of telecommunications across the country, as well as those who took the initiative to conduct maintenance and repairs despite difficult security conditions. The union also assured that employee safety remains “the top priority.”
Lebanon was drawn into the regional war against Iran on Monday after Hezbollah fired missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iranian leader Ali Khamenei. Since then, the Israeli army has been rampaging across the country and has launched a ground incursion at the border to establish a “buffer zone.” According to a provisional tally by the Health Ministry, this escalation has killed more than 70, injured 430 and displaced 83,000.
