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Lebanon: Importers of Basic Commodities Warn Against Ending Subsidies

People shop at a supermarket in Beirut, Lebanon August 28, 2017. REUTERS/ Mohamed Azakir
People shop at a supermarket in Beirut, Lebanon August 28, 2017. REUTERS/ Mohamed Azakir
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Lebanon: Importers of Basic Commodities Warn Against Ending Subsidies

People shop at a supermarket in Beirut, Lebanon August 28, 2017. REUTERS/ Mohamed Azakir
People shop at a supermarket in Beirut, Lebanon August 28, 2017. REUTERS/ Mohamed Azakir

Since the beginning of 2020, the Lebanese have been suffering from a continuous and sharp rise in commodity prices, mainly due to the devaluation of the local currency against the US dollar in the parallel market.

The Central Bank (BDL) has been subsidizing basic commodities, including wheat, medicine and fuel. However, reports have emerged over the BDL’s inability to continue to subsidize the basic commodities, which would put them at the mercy of the fluctuating exchange rate.

Lifting subsidies on medicine would be a “humanitarian catastrophe”, as described by the head of the Drug Importers Syndicate, Karim Gebara.

“Citizens pay 35 percent of the medicine bill and they can barely afford it; so what if the subsidy is lifted and the value of the bill is doubled?” he asked.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Gebara said it was difficult to define the increase in prices.

“There will be no fixed price or threshold; the prices of medicine will be directly linked to the dollar exchange rate on the black market,” he noted.

If we consider that the exchange rate remains at its current value of LBP 7,500, then this means the price of any drug will be multiplied by five.

Gebara stressed that so far, the Syndicate has not been officially informed of BDL’s ending of subsidies, hoping that such a move, if taken, would not affect the medical sector.

The Syndicate of Gas Station Owners has not been officially informed either, but warned of a real crisis facing the sector and citizens if BDL goes ahead with such a plan.

The head of the syndicate, Sami Braks, stressed that lifting the subsidies would automatically mean an adjustment of fuel prices.

Economic Expert Elie Yashouei said that ending the subsidies has become inevitable, adding: “We will reach it sooner or later.”

“In light of the drastic decline in BDL’s foreign reserves … it no longer has enough funds to support basic commodities or even the 300 commodities in the approved food basket,” he said.

In the event that the prices of goods were determined by the current rate of the US dollar on the black market (USD1= LBP7,500), the price of a pack of bread will exceed LBP5,000, a kilo of chicken will be sold for LBP50,000, a kilo of meat for LBP80,000, and a box of Panadol medicine for LBP15,000.

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Arab World

Israel Assassinates Qassam’s Commander of the Khan Younis Brigade

Mohammad al-Yazouri, also known as "Abu Al-Haitham," commander of Gaza's Khan Younis Brigade in the Qassam Brigades.
Mohammad al-Yazouri, also known as "Abu Al-Haitham," commander of Gaza's Khan Younis Brigade in the Qassam Brigades.
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Israel Assassinates Qassam’s Commander of the Khan Younis Brigade

Mohammad al-Yazouri, also known as "Abu Al-Haitham," commander of Gaza's Khan Younis Brigade in the Qassam Brigades.
Mohammad al-Yazouri, also known as "Abu Al-Haitham," commander of Gaza's Khan Younis Brigade in the Qassam Brigades.

The Israeli army assassinated Mohammad al-Yazouri, also known as "Abu Al-Haitham," commander of Gaza's Khan Younis Brigade in the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement.

He and Hudhaifa Abu Muammar, an engineer in the Qassam Brigades, were killed in an Israeli drone strike while they were walking in the Al-Mawasi area at midnight Thursday-Friday.

Field sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that al-Yazouri was not quickly identified, as he was in pieces and his body, including his face, was disfigured.

The sources revealed that the sudden loss of contact with him prompted some of those close to him to try to find out if he was the target, and it became clear in the early hours of dawn that he was among the victims.

According to two sources, Al-Yazouri assumed responsibility for the Khan Younis Brigade shortly after the assassination of the brigade leaders Ezzedine al-Haddad and Mohammad Oudeh, who were assassinated within ten days in May.

Al-Yazouri was the commander of central and western Khan Younis, before becoming the general commander of the brigade.

He worked for years in other positions within the Qassam leadership, including the intelligence apparatus, which was one of the agencies that worked on gathering security information in preparation for the October 7, 2023, attack.

A third source said al-Yazouri escaped several assassination attempts, whether during the current war or years before it.

One of the most prominent attempts occurred when he was with Rafe Salama, Mohammad Sinwar, and Yahya Sinwar in a tunnel in Khan Younis in 2021. Israeli planes bombed the site with several missiles during what was known as the battle of the "Sword of Jerusalem," which Israel named "Guardian of the Walls." Everyone survived the attack.

Al-Yazouri was one of the leaders who supervised the October 7 attack, and he also played a role in the operations of handing over the abducted Israelis during the exchange deals.

Abu Muammar was an engineer in the Qassam Brigades who was responsible for developing the military capabilities of the brigades and was close to its prominent leaders.

He was responsible for several attacks against Israeli forces during the Gaza war and others before it.

Arab World

Iraq Says Dialogue over Factions’ Weapons to Continue After Sept. 30 Deadline

Vehicles of the Iraqi army at the entrance to the capital Baghdad’s suburb of Sadr City. (AFP file)
Vehicles of the Iraqi army at the entrance to the capital Baghdad’s suburb of Sadr City. (AFP file)
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Iraq Says Dialogue over Factions’ Weapons to Continue After Sept. 30 Deadline

Vehicles of the Iraqi army at the entrance to the capital Baghdad’s suburb of Sadr City. (AFP file)
Vehicles of the Iraqi army at the entrance to the capital Baghdad’s suburb of Sadr City. (AFP file)

The Iraqi government said on Thursday that the plan to impose state monopoly over weapons will begin after the complete withdrawal of anti-ISIS coalition forces by the September 30 deadline.

It stressed that dialogue is taking place at the highest levels with armed factions to ensure the success of the plan.

Spokesperson for the commander-in-chief of the Iraqi Armed Forces Sabah al-Numan said September 30 is the final deadline for ending the mission of the coalition and for the remainder of foreign forces to pull out of Iraq.

The withdrawal process is accelerating with the foreign forces showing a commitment to the deadline to end their mission in the country, he added.

ISIS has been defeated militarily in Iraq despite the continued presence of cells and remnants of the group, he remarked.

The armed forces are at the highest level of readiness to confront and destroy them, he declared.

On the armed factions, Numan said dialogue was ongoing with them over having them lay down their weapons, but the implementation will take place after the coalition ends its mission in Iraq.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi had set as a priority the issue of imposing state monopoly over weapons. In remarks in June, he said there was no need for the “resistance” to remain after US troops pull out of Iraq.

The plan to impose state monopoly over weapons has lost momentum in recent weeks. Circles close to the government said they were hoping that negotiations with the factions would be a success.

Security expert Hussein Allawi told Asharq Al-Awsat that the negotiations between the government and factions have entered a second phase through the formation of a committee that will facilitate the dialogue and reach common ground over “organizing the weapons”.

The government’s strategy after September 30 will focus on implementing its program with regards to development, reconstruction, investment and economic reform, as well as consolidating security, he added.

Professor at Al-Mustansiriya University Taleb Karim told Asharq Al-Awsat that the success of the plan is not measured by its existence on paper, but by the state’s ability to unify security decision-making and invest years of field experience in institutions and sustainable abilities in order to prevent Iraq from being used as an arena for the conflicts of others.

On the Kurdistan Region, spokesman Numan said coordination is ongoing between it and the federal government in Baghdad.

A high-level security meeting was held this week that included leaders of the Peshmerga forces during which urgent recommendations were raised for implementation, including securing border crossings.

The Kurdistan government is meanwhile ensuring that counter-terrorism efforts will continue with the international coalition.

President Nechirvan Barzani received Vice Admiral Edward Ahlgren, the UK Defense Senior Advisor to the Middle East and North Africa, for talks on joint coordination to fight ISIS remnants and terrorist threats,

A joint statement said they tackled the Iraqi government’s efforts to impose state monopoly over weapons and to unify Peshmerga forces.

Arab World

Yemeni Forces Reposition Themselves in Southern Mokha

Yemeni government forces fire a tank during clashes with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in a location given as near al-Hazm, Yemen, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released September 9, 2026. (Media Center of the Yemeni Armed Forces/Handout via Reuters)
Yemeni government forces fire a tank during clashes with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in a location given as near al-Hazm, Yemen, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released September 9, 2026. (Media Center of the Yemeni Armed Forces/Handout via Reuters)
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Yemeni Forces Reposition Themselves in Southern Mokha

Yemeni government forces fire a tank during clashes with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in a location given as near al-Hazm, Yemen, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released September 9, 2026. (Media Center of the Yemeni Armed Forces/Handout via Reuters)
Yemeni government forces fire a tank during clashes with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis in a location given as near al-Hazm, Yemen, in this screengrab obtained from a handout video released September 9, 2026. (Media Center of the Yemeni Armed Forces/Handout via Reuters)

Battles on the Yemeni western coast and west of Taiz entered a new phase on Thursday as government forces reorganized their deployment south of the city of Mokha, and formed an alternative command center in the Dhubab district toward Bab al-Mandeb, following breakthroughs achieved by the Iran-backed Houthi group on a number of fronts during the past hours.

The development came following days of violent battles on the west coast, during which the Houthi forces managed to advance in al-Waziyah and Mawza and seize control of important positions as government forces withdrew from positions in Hays and al-Khawkha. The Houthis continued to push large human reinforcements to the confrontation lines, using missiles, drones, and heavy weapons.

Member of the Presidential Leadership Council and commander of the National Resistance Tareq Saleh said the armed forces on the west coast were regrouping in preparation for the next phase in the fighting.

According to local media, Saleh said the armed forces on the west coast “have paid a heavy cost, including martyrs and wounded, in the days they have been fighting the Houthi assault.”

The armed forces include the National Resistance, Giants Brigades and National Shield forces.

He said the forces confronted an attack “planned and supported by Iran.” He also accused Iran of being involved in the fight “though its various tools.”

The military media of the National Resistance announced the formation of the new command center in the Dhubab region, south of Mokha, in the direction of Bab al-Mandeb to positions closer to the city of Mokha.

Houthi militants had seized control Wednesday of al-Waziyah, southwest of Taiz, and Mawza, east of Mokha, in addition to the Khalid bin Al-Walid camp in the Mawza district, following violent battles with government forces.

National Resistance and other forces withdrew from areas in the Hays district north of Mokha and Khawkha south of Hays. The Houthis continued their advance on the northern and eastern axes leading to Mokha.

Military media sources reported that the Houthis stormed several areas in the Mokha district, seizing control of the Jabal al-Nar camp, which housed the headquarters of the military forces command on the western coast. Zuqar Island was struck by two ballistic missiles amid escalation that included wide areas of the coast and the Red Sea.

Air strikes meanwhile hit Houthi positions in al-Tahita, al-Salif, and Kamran island in Hodeidah. More air raids sough to weaken the group’s fire power and cut its supply routes.

These developments come a week after a broad Houthi attack began in western Taiz and southern Hodeidah, during which the group managed to mobilize large numbers of fighters and open more than one front at the same time, with heavy use of missiles, drones, and artillery shelling to cover its ground movements.

Despite the Houthis’ heavy losses, they continued to bring more reinforcements to the fronts amid apparent disarray in government forces and a depletion of their reserves.