Jordan’s Cabinet approves natural gas supply to Lebanon routed through Syrian territory

Jordan’s Cabinet just approved a plan to pipe natural gas into Lebanon — routed straight through Syrian territory. The setup works like this: Jordan imports LNG, regasifies it at Aqaba Port, then pushes it north through the Arab Gas Pipeline until it reaches Lebanese power plants. Prime Minister Jafar Hassan chaired the session. Lebanon isn’t starting from scratch here — it’s joining an energy arrangement Jordan has already been running with Syria since earlier this year.

Cabinet approves trilateral gas supply arrangement

The approval makes it official: this is now a three-country energy deal. Jordan imports the liquefied natural gas, runs it through existing regasification infrastructure at Aqaba, and pumps it north through Syria to Lebanon. The gas then feeds Lebanese power plants — which matters enormously for a country that’s dealt with crippling electricity shortages for years.

The session covered domestic priorities too. The Cabinet greenlit an energy-efficiency initiative for government buildings across Jordan. Based on energy audits, the goal is to cut government energy bills by around 20%, with work starting at select ministries next year before rolling out to other public institutions.

Regional electricity interconnection efforts in the Middle East go back to 2001, when early agreements started laying the groundwork for cross-border grid links.

Trilateral agreement and technical groundwork behind the decision

This vote didn’t come out of nowhere. Back in May, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon signed a natural gas cooperation agreement following a trilateral energy ministers’ meeting in Amman. Energy Minister Saleh Kharabsheh confirmed at the time that technical preparations were already done — contracts signed, studies completed on what the gas transmission networks would need to handle the load.

The groundwork actually started earlier. In January 2026, Jordan and Syria signed a bilateral gas agreement in Damascus covering the sale and purchase of natural gas through Jordanian territory — part of a contract valued at around $800 million annually. Syria has been receiving gas under that agreement since early 2026, with current supplies running at about 141.3 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d).. Lebanon’s inclusion now extends the same supply chain further along the Arab Gas Pipeline.

Regional impact: grid stabilization and electricity interconnection goals

Jordan’s gas deliveries to Syria are already making a difference. Syrian Energy Minister Mohammad Bashir said the Jordanian gas has helped stabilize Syria’s electricity grid — a meaningful development given how badly the country’s energy infrastructure was damaged during years of conflict.

Bashir also noted that four power lines connecting Syria and Lebanon are ready on both sides, and said he hopes electricity interconnection among Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon can be restored. That kind of grid-level integration would go well beyond just moving gas across borders. Syria’s own energy output is expected to grow significantly — Bashir said the country is aiming for 529.7 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of natural gas by the end of 2026, more than double the current output of around 247.2 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d). of natural gas per day by the end of 2026, more than double the current output of around 7 million cubic metres.

Lebanon’s Energy and Water Minister Walid Fayad welcomed the arrangement. He called cooperation among the three countries essential to rebuilding Lebanon’s energy sector on more sustainable, efficient foundations, and described the electricity interconnection project as a high priority Lebanon is pushing to complete as quickly as possible.

History of regional energy cooperation and prior delays

This isn’t entirely new territory. Regional electricity interconnection efforts in the Middle East go back to 2001, when early agreements started laying the groundwork for cross-border grid links. Those efforts were suspended in 2012 as the Syrian conflict escalated, cutting off what had been a genuinely promising regional energy network.

Revival attempts picked up again in 2022, with agreements reached to supply electricity and gas to Lebanon via Syria. Financing problems kept getting in the way, though. The gap between signing a deal and actually moving energy across borders turned out to be hard to close.

Jordan’s role has shifted considerably through all of this. The Aqaba regasification facility — originally built to serve Jordan’s own needs — has become the engine of a regional supply chain, already serving Syria directly. With this latest approval, it’s set to reach Lebanon too. The current momentum reflects a changed political environment in the region, especially following shifts in Syria’s governance, with network rehabilitation in Syria being the key condition that now looks far enough along to move forward.

The gas has helped stabilize Syria’s grid

Jordan’s Cabinet has formally approved natural gas supplies to Lebanon, using Aqaba Port’s regasification infrastructure and the Arab Gas Pipeline through Syria as the transit route. The gas will support Lebanese power generation. The decision builds on a January 2026 Jordan-Syria bilateral gas agreement and a May 2026 trilateral cooperation deal signed by all three countries’ energy ministers.

Syria currently receives around 141.3 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of Jordanian gas under an $800 million annual contract. Lebanon’s addition extends that supply chain further. Syrian officials say the gas has already helped stabilize Syria’s grid, and Damascus expects its own production to more than double by the end of 2026. Regional electricity interconnection — suspended since 2012 — remains a stated goal for all three governments.

Kelly Lippke

Kelly is an experienced writer with 15 years of experience exploring the big stories that shape our world, from tech breakthroughs and space exploration to climate, energy, and the fascinating quirks of science. She has a talent for turning complex ideas into sharp, memorable insights that stay with readers long after they’ve finished reading.