The Director General of Civil Aviation, Fadi Al-Hassan, announced that "Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport is currently securing electrical power from generators, and we hope the crisis will not last long." Al-Hassan commented on the risk of darkness at the airport in the coming hours: "I do not want to preempt events, and I do not think the crisis will remain as it is now."
**Lebanon’s Electricity Statement:** The Electricité du Liban issued a statement, which said: "Following the statements of Electricité du Liban dated 07/08/2024 and 27/07/2024, and until we see how matters will unfold regarding the efforts of the concerned parties to address the supply of fuel oil for Electricité du Liban, whether through the Iraqi swap agreement or other sources, and after exhausting all precautionary measures that Electricité du Liban can take to prolong the period of energy production to the fullest possible extent, amidst the differing current circumstances, Electricité du Liban announces that the last production unit of the Zahrani plant has been forcibly removed from the electrical grid as of noon today, 17/08/2024, due to the complete exhaustion of the plant's fuel oil reserve, resulting in a total cessation of electricity supply across all Lebanese territories, including basic facilities in Lebanon (airport, port, water pumps, sewage, prisons, etc.). The institution will once again work to restart the units that have been forcibly taken out of service, compatible with the reserves that will be available to them after securing fuel oil for its benefit, to gradually restore electricity supply to its previous state. Therefore, Electricité du Liban will keep all citizens informed of any updates regarding electricity supply through subsequent statements on this matter."