BEIRUT — A high-ranking U.N. official expressed worry during a recent trip to Beirut about the potential closure of Lebanon’s transportation hubs, including its ports and airport. The ongoing military conflict, particularly Israel’s operations against Hezbollah, poses significant threats to food supply routes vital for the country.
Carl Skau, the deputy executive director of the U.N. World Food Program (WFP), revealed the distressing findings of his observations in the region, stating, “What I have seen and heard today is devastating, but the sense is that this can get much worse still, and that needs to be avoided.” He stressed the urgent need for all possible diplomatic measures to reach a political resolution to the conflict and emphasized the importance of keeping supply channels open.
Skau articulated concerns about the operational capability of Lebanon’s ports and other vital supply routes, which are essential for maintaining food supplies in the nation. In Gaza, the situation has escalated as a result of ongoing hostilities with Hamas, leading to heightened levels of hunger as humanitarian groups struggle to deliver essential aid to the besieged area. He noted that despite the unpredictable climate of the conflict, he has been led to believe that Israeli officials had assured that Lebanon’s facilities would remain operational.
However, Skau acknowledged the rapidly evolving situation, stating, “But of course, this is a very changing environment. So we don’t take anything for granted.” In recent weeks, Israel has intensified its military actions, including airstrikes and a ground invasion in Lebanon, leading to a spike in displacement. Current estimates indicate that approximately 1.2 million individuals have been uprooted due to the conflict, with around 200,000 seeking refuge in communal shelters. The WFP has been providing meals to those in collective shelters.
Current events have already precipitated rising food prices, even though Lebanon’s only international airport and key sea ports remain operational. Skau indicated that the WFP has managed to stockpile sufficient food supplies to assist one million people, which is roughly 20% of Lebanon’s total population, for a month. The organization is now working to increase these supplies to last until year-end.
“We will, of course, be having to restock, and for that, the ports will be critical and other supply lines,” he explained. The WFP has been utilizing land routes to import provisions from Jordan through Syria into Lebanon. However, an Israeli attack earlier this month on a road leading to the primary border crossing between Lebanon and Syria has obstructed access, complicating logistics.
Even with the Masnaa crossing being disrupted, foot traffic has persisted as individuals flee Lebanon, while vehicles—including those supplying the WFP—have had to resort to a more distant northern crossing, resulting in increased challenges and costs. Skau called for the reopening of the Masnaa crossing to facilitate better movement of goods and people.
Since the escalation of the Israeli air offensive in Lebanon on September 23, Lebanese General Security has documented over 320,000 Syrian nationals and nearly 118,000 Lebanese citizens crossing into Syria. This influx occurs at a time when the WFP has had to cut back on food assistance in Syria due to inadequate funding, reducing the number of beneficiaries from approximately six million to just 1.5 million in the last two years. “With that, of course, our capacity has been tightened and now we need to scale up again,” Skau affirmed, highlighting the pressing need for resources in the face of growing humanitarian challenges.
