Is Israel’s ‘buffer zone’ inside Lebanon an attempt to grab gas reserves?
Summary
Israel has created a "security buffer zone" in southern Lebanon and its nearby Mediterranean waters, which experts say extends into Lebanon’s maritime territory that contains potential oil and gas reserves. This move follows a US-brokered ceasefire and includes areas where Lebanon planned gas exploration, raising concerns about violations of the ceasefire and maritime agreements.Key Facts
- Israel announced a "buffer zone" about 10 km north of the Lebanon-Israel border, covering about 6% of Lebanese land.
- This zone extends into the Mediterranean Sea, overlapping parts of Lebanon's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
- The buffer zone includes parts of Lebanon’s Qana gasfield blocks 8 and 9, where gas exploration rights were granted to Lebanon under a 2022 US-mediated maritime border deal.
- Companies TotalEnergies (France), Eni (Italy), and QatarEnergy signed an exploration permit for Block 8 with Lebanon in January 2024.
- Since 2010, Lebanon has struggled to develop its offshore gas fields, with only Block 8 currently under a hydrocarbon contract.
- Israel justifies the buffer zone for security, claiming it aims to prevent attacks by Hezbollah fighters.
- Israeli military actions have extended beyond the announced zone, causing concerns about control over Lebanese waters.
- The US helped broker ceasefires and maritime boundary agreements between Israel and Lebanon in recent years.
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