Lebanon's Deir Ammar power station in the northern city of Tripoli could be a potential target if war breaks out between Hezbollah and Israel. AFP
Lebanon's Deir Ammar power station in the northern city of Tripoli could be a potential target if war breaks out between Hezbollah and Israel. AFP
Lebanon's Deir Ammar power station in the northern city of Tripoli could be a potential target if war breaks out between Hezbollah and Israel. AFP
Lebanon's Deir Ammar power station in the northern city of Tripoli could be a potential target if war breaks out between Hezbollah and Israel. AFP

Israel and Hezbollah threaten to devastate power grids in war


  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

A full-scale war between Lebanon's Hezbollah group and Israel could cause power cuts for days, weeks or even months in both countries, experts tell The National, causing massive economic damage and putting everything from water supplies to communications at risk.

Leaders on both sides, including Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen and Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, have threatened to destroy energy infrastructure if war breaks out.

This could affect essential services such as hospitals, telecoms, water supply and sanitation networks, as well farming reliant on irrigation by water pumps.

For decades, countries have used air power in war to destroy civilian energy infrastructure, despite this being prohibited in international law if it has no direct military use.

Israel has a track record of bombing power infrastructure in both Gaza and Lebanon.

Recent conflicts in Ukraine and Yemen have shown that even with dense air defences, energy infrastructure is extremely hard to protect. Militias no longer need a powerful air force to inflict massive damage.

Smoke and flame rise from a fuel tank hit by a drone in Sevastopol, Crimea, in April 2023. AP
Smoke and flame rise from a fuel tank hit by a drone in Sevastopol, Crimea, in April 2023. AP

Both Hezbollah and the Houthi militia in Yemen have proven adept at low-cost drone attacks capable of damaging fuel depots and power plants – energy infrastructure that is fragile and in some cases located at the same site.

Meanwhile in Ukraine, both Moscow and Kyiv have realised that air power can be supplemented with cheap long-range drones to devastate power plants and refineries.

The 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah provides a glimpse of how serious the impact of such attacks could be.

“In 2006 Israel bombed the Jiyeh power plant storage tanks in southern Lebanon and that caused an environmental disaster,” says Noam Raydan, an energy expert at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.

Fire rises from Beirut international airport after being attacked by Israeli aircraft July 14, 2006. Reuters
Fire rises from Beirut international airport after being attacked by Israeli aircraft July 14, 2006. Reuters

“Now Lebanon is suffering from an energy crisis and the government can barely afford purchasing oil products to keep the Zahrani and Deir Ammar power plants running, and not all the time. If in the future Hezbollah targeted Israel’s energy or maritime infrastructure, in any way, Israel will likely retaliate by hitting Lebanon’s fragile infrastructure. The situation is extremely worrying.”

One area of fragility for both countries in wartime is hospitals.

Israel appears to be preparing for this scenario, with patients at hospitals in the north, closer to the Lebanon border, being moved to the centre of the country, the Israeli Channel 12 news station reported on Tuesday.

The situation is much more dire for hospitals in Lebanon, where a continuing economic crisis has left the government unable to pay for sufficient fuel imports needed for power plants as well as for diesel generators.

The generator room of the Rafic Hariri University Hospital in Lebanon's capital Beirut. AFP
The generator room of the Rafic Hariri University Hospital in Lebanon's capital Beirut. AFP

Many hospitals in Lebanon are now almost entirely dependent on generators because of extended power cuts by the state electricity company. In March, hospitals in the south reported shortages of fuel as well as medical supplies as a result of the economic crisis and the near daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israel since October.

Israeli strikes on Lebanon in the 2006 war and the economic crisis that hit in 2019 show how wide-ranging the disruption created by fuel shortages can be.

In one area of Lebanon in 2006, 42 out of 70 villages had no water because there was no electricity, or fuel, for water pumps. Aid agencies had to deliver water to Beirut. By one count, Israel hit a total of 17 fuel storage sites in Lebanon.

In 2021, water authorities stopped pumping and began rationing in northern Lebanon because of fuel and electricity shortages.

A new war could make things far worse, with Israel possibly hitting up to 3,000 targets in a single day, and Hezbollah launching 5,000 rockets, missiles and drones – although estimates vary significantly.

“In such a scenario, generators would be our backup plan,” says Marc Ayoub, a Lebanese energy expert.

“We need to check the quantities of imported diesel; last time I checked, we had no reserves for more than one month. Knowing how much diesel we have is crucial. In any case, diesel generators cannot operate all day because they are backup generators, so there will be rationing.”

Israel is less dependent on oil for electricity production than Lebanon, although it is reliant on power-hungry desalination plants to meet its water needs.

About 37 per cent of its energy production comes from oil, according to the International Energy Agency, while most comes from natural gas.

Hezbollah has said it would target storage and infrastructure for the latter in a conflict.

Emergency plans

Energy officials In both countries are cagey about their preparedness for war – one Lebanese government official told The National that the matter was too sensitive to discuss.

“The Lebanese authorities proposed an emergency plan six months ago, but it's not clear if it has been updated. There might be a risk of no more shipments of Iraqi fuel because of the war, which could leave us without fuel. This is a major concern,” Mr Ayoub says.

However the increased use solar power, which now accounts for about a third of Lebanon's 3 gigawatt production capacity, could help, he says.

In Israel, Shaul Goldstein, head of the government-owned Independent System Operator that manages electricity infrastructure, apologised after saying last month that a full-scale war with Hezbollah would make “living here impossible”.

Other energy officials said the risk was less severe. The Israel Electric Corporation, the country's largest power supplier, has said backup generators and additional electricity substations have already been prepared in anticipation of war in the north.

But substations – critical nodes that manage distribution in a power grid – are another point of vulnerability, a fact IEC admitted.

In Ukraine, Russia has damaged or destroyed substations with Iranian Shahed drones, which Iran-backed Hezbollah uses under the name Ayoub. These drones are designed to fly into targets and explode.

The drones are a problem for Ukraine, even though interception rates during attacks are often more than 80 or 90 per cent.

Sustained bombardment with Shaheds – about 4,600, according to Kyiv – contributed to the loss of about nine gigawatts from Ukraine's production capacity.

Hezbollah is said to operate about 2,000 drones of varying designs, mainly “advanced” models, according to Israel's Alma Research Centre, a think tank.

“Assuming the other side has 2,000 UAVs [drones] you should assume how many will be intercepted, how many will miss their targets, and how many will be destroyed before launch. The other side’s UAVs probably won’t have a strategic impact in a full-scale conflict,” says an Israeli security expert who has worked extensively with drones, speaking off record.

The expert said he believed Israel could absorb the expected damage from a war that would nonetheless “have its cost”.

Although Israel's air defences have coped well with Hezbollah's drones and rockets so far, the scale of these attacks is expected to increase significantly if war breaks out.

Estimates of Hezbollah's capacity for rocket and missile launches vary between 1,000 and 3,000 per day, out of an arsenal thought to be as numerous as 150,000 rockets and missiles.

Most of the group’s rockets are unguided and short range but it has invested considerable time smuggling components and new weapons through Syria to enable precision, guided, long-range strikes.

The Israeli Defence Ministry’s National Emergency Management Authority recently assessed that Hezbollah could launch 5,000 attacks a day across the border, including drones.

Captain Marvel

Director: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck

Starring: Brie Larson, Samuel L Jackson, Jude Law,  Ben Mendelsohn

4/5 stars

Top financial tips for graduates

Araminta Robertson, of the Financially Mint blog, shares her financial advice for university leavers:

1. Build digital or technical skills: After graduation, people can find it extremely hard to find jobs. From programming to digital marketing, your early twenties are for building skills. Future employers will want people with tech skills.

2. Side hustle: At 16, I lived in a village and started teaching online, as well as doing work as a virtual assistant and marketer. There are six skills you can use online: translation; teaching; programming; digital marketing; design and writing. If you master two, you’ll always be able to make money.

3. Networking: Knowing how to make connections is extremely useful. Use LinkedIn to find people who have the job you want, connect and ask to meet for coffee. Ask how they did it and if they know anyone who can help you. I secured quite a few clients this way.

4. Pay yourself first: The minute you receive any income, put about 15 per cent aside into a savings account you won’t touch, to go towards your emergency fund or to start investing. I do 20 per cent. It helped me start saving immediately.

THE BIO

Bio Box

Role Model: Sheikh Zayed, God bless his soul

Favorite book: Zayed Biography of the leader

Favorite quote: To be or not to be, that is the question, from William Shakespeare's Hamlet

Favorite food: seafood

Favorite place to travel: Lebanon

Favorite movie: Braveheart

Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Belong%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Michael%20Askew%20and%20Matthew%20Gaziano%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Technology%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%243.5%20million%20from%20crowd%20funding%20and%20angel%20investors%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2012%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
ENGLAND WORLD CUP SQUAD

Eoin Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler (wicketkeeper), Tom Curran, Joe Denly, Alex Hales, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, Ben Stokes, David Willey, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.

What is tokenisation?

Tokenisation refers to the issuance of a blockchain token, which represents a virtually tradable real, tangible asset. A tokenised asset is easily transferable, offers good liquidity, returns and is easily traded on the secondary markets. 

Key figures in the life of the fort

Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.

Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.

Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.

Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.

Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.

Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.

Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae

Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
The%20specs%3A%20Panamera%20Turbo%20E-Hybrid
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4.0-litre%20twin-turbo%20V8%20hybrid%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E680hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E930Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEight-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh749%2C000%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The%20specs%3A%202024%20Panamera
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.9-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E353hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E500Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEight-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh408%2C200%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Tottenham Hotspur 1
Kane (50')

Newcastle United 0

RESULTS

2pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (Dirt) 1,000m
Winner: AF Mozhell, Saif Al Balushi (jockey), Khalifa Al Neyadi (trainer)

2.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Majdi, Szczepan Mazur, Abdallah Al Hammadi.

3pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Athabeh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel.

3.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh40,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: AF Eshaar, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi

4pm: Gulf Cup presented by Longines Prestige (PA) Dh150,000 (D) 1,700m
Winner: Al Roba’a Al Khali, Al Moatasem Al Balushi, Younis Al Kalbani

4.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh40,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Apolo Kid, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muahiri

Sunday's games

All times UAE:

Tottenham Hotspur v Crystal Palace, 4pm

Manchester City v Arsenal, 6.15pm

Everton v Watford, 8.30pm

Chelsea v Manchester United, 8.30pm

BACK%20TO%20ALEXANDRIA
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ETamer%20Ruggli%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadine%20Labaki%2C%20Fanny%20Ardant%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

From Zero

Artist: Linkin Park

Label: Warner Records

Number of tracks: 11

Rating: 4/5

Confirmed%20bouts%20(more%20to%20be%20added)
%3Cp%3ECory%20Sandhagen%20v%20Umar%20Nurmagomedov%0D%3Cbr%3ENick%20Diaz%20v%20Vicente%20Luque%0D%3Cbr%3EMichael%20Chiesa%20v%20Tony%20Ferguson%0D%3Cbr%3EDeiveson%20Figueiredo%20v%20Marlon%20Vera%0D%3Cbr%3EMackenzie%20Dern%20v%20Loopy%20Godinez%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ETickets%20for%20the%20August%203%20Fight%20Night%2C%20held%20in%20partnership%20with%20the%20Department%20of%20Culture%20and%20Tourism%20Abu%20Dhabi%2C%20went%20on%20sale%20earlier%20this%20month%2C%20through%20www.etihadarena.ae%20and%20www.ticketmaster.ae.%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (3.30pm)
Burnley v Huddersfield Town (7pm)
Everton v Bournemouth (7pm)
Manchester City v Crystal Palace (7pm)
Southampton v Manchester United (7pm)
Stoke City v Chelsea (7pm)
Swansea City v Watford (7pm)
Leicester City v Liverpool (8.30pm)

Sunday
Brighton and Hove Albion v Newcastle United (7pm)

Monday
Arsenal v West Bromwich Albion (11pm)

FA%20Cup%20semi-final%20draw
%3Cp%3ECoventry%20City%20v%20Manchester%20United%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EManchester%20City%20v%20Chelsea%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E-%20Games%20to%20be%20played%20at%20Wembley%20Stadium%20on%20weekend%20of%20April%2020%2F21.%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Cherry

Directed by: Joe and Anthony Russo

Starring: Tom Holland, Ciara Bravo

1/5

The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.8-litre%204-cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E190hp%20at%205%2C200rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20320Nm%20from%201%2C800-5%2C000rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%206.7L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh111%2C195%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EName%3A%20Tabby%3Cbr%3EFounded%3A%20August%202019%3B%20platform%20went%20live%20in%20February%202020%3Cbr%3EFounder%2FCEO%3A%20Hosam%20Arab%2C%20co-founder%3A%20Daniil%20Barkalov%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20Payments%3Cbr%3ESize%3A%2040-50%20employees%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Series%20A%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Arbor%20Ventures%2C%20Mubadala%20Capital%2C%20Wamda%20Capital%2C%20STV%2C%20Raed%20Ventures%2C%20Global%20Founders%20Capital%2C%20JIMCO%2C%20Global%20Ventures%2C%20Venture%20Souq%2C%20Outliers%20VC%2C%20MSA%20Capital%2C%20HOF%20and%20AB%20Accelerator.%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
EA Sports FC 26

Publisher: EA Sports

Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S

Rating: 3/5

How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE

When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.

Russia's Muslim Heartlands

Dominic Rubin, Oxford

War 2

Director: Ayan Mukerji

Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana

Rating: 2/5

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

The specs: 2019 Audi A7 Sportback

Price, base: Dh315,000

Engine: 3.0-litre V6

Transmission: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 335hp @ 5,000rpm

Torque: 500Nm @ 1,370rpm

Fuel economy 5.9L / 100km

Brief scores:

Manchester City 2

Gundogan 27', De Bruyne 85'

Crystal Palace 3

Schlupp 33', Townsend 35', Milivojevic 51' (pen)

Man of the Match: Andros Townsend (Crystal Palace)

The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol

Power: 154bhp

Torque: 250Nm

Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option 

Price: From Dh79,600

On sale: Now

Thank You for Banking with Us

Director: Laila Abbas

Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum

Rating: 4/5

THE BIO

Family: I have three siblings, one older brother (age 25) and two younger sisters, 20 and 13 

Favourite book: Asking for my favourite book has to be one of the hardest questions. However a current favourite would be Sidewalk by Mitchell Duneier

Favourite place to travel to: Any walkable city. I also love nature and wildlife 

What do you love eating or cooking: I’m constantly in the kitchen. Ever since I changed the way I eat I enjoy choosing and creating what goes into my body. However, nothing can top home cooked food from my parents. 

Favorite place to go in the UAE: A quiet beach.

TOURNAMENT INFO

Opening fixtures:
Friday, Oct 5

8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Paktia Panthers

Saturday, Oct 6
4pm: Nangarhar Leopards v Kandahar Knights
8pm: Kabul Zwanan v Balkh Legends

Tickets
Tickets can be bought online at https://www.q-tickets.com/apl/eventlist and at the ticket office at the stadium.

TV info
The tournament will be broadcast live in the UAE on OSN Sports.

Updated: July 03, 2024, 1:10 PM