Why Is Israel Blowing Up Gas Stations in Lebanon? -- WSJ

By Feliz Solomon

Israel's military said it carried out a second wave of strikes targeting gas stations controlled by Hezbollah in Lebanon, escalating attacks on infrastructure it says is used by the Iran-backed militant group. Israel says the facilities were run by Amana, a fuel company that was sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury Department in 2020 for its alleged links to the group.

Amana operates a network of some 45 gas stations in Lebanon, according to its website, many located in Hezbollah strongholds. They sell petrol to civilians, but aren't the only or main source of civilian fuel in those areas. Israel says the facilities generate millions of dollars in revenue for Hezbollah, that they supply fuel to vehicles used for militant purposes, and that they serve as civilian cover for the group's activities.

Amana was among 15 companies and people sanctioned by the U.S. Treasury in 2020 for their alleged links to the Martyrs Foundation, which the agency describes as part of Hezbollah's sprawling financial network. The company didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Israeli military shared aerial video footage showing large explosions at several sites, along with a map identifying five gas stations targeted. Israel said it targeted five Amana stations last week, as well. The strikes were part of a broader offensive against Hezbollah targets in Beirut, across the country's south and the Bekaa Valley in the east. Targets also included infrastructure such as bridges Israel says were used to move weapons and fighters toward its border.

Hussein Ibish, a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, a Washington-based think tank, said attacks on Amana are designed to undercut Hezbollah by both cutting off its revenue and straining its supporters. By Lebanese standards, it's a relatively large company with a significant economic reach in its areas of influence. "These attacks, therefore, are a means of pressuring Hezbollah by attacking its economic assets and by eroding the financial wellbeing of the constituency on which the group depends for its viability," he said.

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March 24, 2026 12:54 ET (16:54 GMT)

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