Lebanon's southerners stock food, medicine for fear of escalation between Israel, Hezbollah

Beirut: Fida Jaber, a 40-year-old woman, rushed to a store in the southern city of Nabatieh to purchase essential supplies in preparation for potential escalations in southern Lebanon.

"It seems that an escalation is inevitable. We must be alert and buy some daily necessities, including food, drink, and medicine, to get ready for the long and difficult days to come," said Jaber as she browsed the supermarket shelves.

Jaber mainly bought canned goods that could be stored without a refrigerator, as people may experience power outages during the war.

Amid the current rising tensions, citizens in many areas of Lebanon rushed to stores to buy goods, for fear of a large-scale war between Hezbollah and the Israeli army. They are also concerned about the potential closure of airports and seaports and a spike in prices as some merchants might exploit the situation.

Memories of the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel in July 2006 are still haunting the Lebanese, when Israel bombed Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport, putting it out of service, and imposed a strict blockade on seaports as soon as the war broke out.

Pharmacist Talal Al-Khatib told Xinhua that the demand for chronic medications has recently increased by about 40 percent, with patients buying enough for three to four months.

He noted that demand for baby formula milk and diapers has also risen by about 30 per cent, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to Mohamad Abou Haidar, director general of the Ministry of Economy, "the demand for consumer goods in major cities increased at the beginning of August by about 7 percent, but in remote villages, the increase is doubled."

However, he assured that "all consumer goods are secured as long as the sea crossings are open."

Meanwhile, Environment Minister Nasser Yassin said in a statement earlier this week that the stock of medicines, food, and oil is secure if the war expands. "Fuel is sufficient for about four weeks and food for three months," he said.

Hani Bohsali, head of the Syndicate of Food Importers, told Xinhua that goods are available in abundance, and there is no shortage of any kind.

"Even if the situation deteriorates, we have sufficient stock," he said.

Caution prevails in Lebanon following Israel's attack on Dahieh in Beirut's southern suburbs, killing a Hezbollah senior military commander, Fouad Shokor, and seven civilians. Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah threatened a definite and painful response to the Israeli raid at the appropriate time and place.

Tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border escalated on Oct. 8, 2023, following a barrage of rockets launched by the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah toward Israel in solidarity with Hamas's attack on Israel the day before. Israel then retaliated by firing heavy artillery toward southeastern Lebanon.