Lebanese President Joseph Aoun receiving the director of the Litani Office, Sami Alawiyé, on June 12, 2026, in Baabda. Photo by the Lebanese Presidency.
BEIRUT — President Joseph Aoun met Friday with Sami Alawieh, head of the Litani River Authority, for a briefing on the state of installations in the area amid the current war in Lebanon, particularly in light of the recent Israeli attacks near the Qaraoun Dam in western Bekaa.
Alwieh thanked the president for his interventions in averting "a catastrophe at the Qaraoun Dam after the Israeli army targeted its surroundings and vital installations during a series of strikes that directly damaged part of the dam's infrastructure and its power supply system."
"President Aoun is actively working in coordination with security forces to ensure the protection of the power plant employees [affiliated with the dam] and to allow them to report to their workplace," he continued.
In recent weeks, Israeli strikes have intensified in the area, with some targeting roads and infrastructure around the Qaraoun Dam and Qaraoun Lake, raising fears of an environmental and humanitarian disaster. On May 27, an Israeli drone strike in the dam's vicinity killed a Lebanese Army soldier. One of the access points to the dam, located within the facility itself, was also targeted, along with components of the power supply system and adjacent buildings.
Alawieh also discussed the condition of hydropower plants and irrigation projects in southern Lebanon and along the southern coast, as well as future projects along the Litani River, particularly in the Bekaa Valley and the South, and the challenges they face. He also briefed the president on the situation at Qaraoun Lake and ways to utilize it to help address the country's energy crisis, particularly through hydroelectric power generation during the summer.
Alawieh said the lake's water reserves remained at satisfactory levels despite pollution caused by sewage runoff, adding that it would be possible to generate 50 megawatts of electricity for the national grid. He added that President Aoun had expressed readiness to provide any assistance needed to overcome obstacles hindering the operation of these facilities.
