The Iran-backed terror group holds significant influence over Lebanon, including the Ministry of Energy, but popular anger reached new heights when it was revealed that the chairman of the Electricité du Liban, the state electricity company, was on a private trip to Greece when the blackout occurred. His absence and inaccessibility, symbolized by his turned-off cell phone have become emblematic of the government’s failure to address the crisis.

Social media in Lebanon has been ablaze with criticism, with hashtags such as #ElectricityLebanon and #HezbollahTerrorists trending as people express their frustration. One local journalist noted that Lebanon has been without a head of state for nearly two years since former President Michel Aoun left office. Another remarked, “Lebanon is dark while the director of the electric company has been traveling and celebrating for more than two years,” capturing the widespread disillusionment with the government’s inability to manage the country’s infrastructure.

The power outage occurred due to a severe fuel shortage that has rendered Lebanon’s electricity production facilities inoperative. The Zahrani plant, one of the last remaining sources of power for the country, was forced to shut down, leaving the entire nation in darkness. The nation’s critical infrastructure, including Beirut’s Rafik Hariri International Airport, now relies solely on privately-owned generators.