Last Sunday, the Jordanian Cabinet approved the necessary agreements to supply Lebanon with natural gas through Jordanian infrastructure and through Syrian territory, according to the official Jordanian news agency, Petra.
It is scheduled that gas will be supplied to Lebanon from the ship floating in the port of Aqaba, in cooperation with the Syrian side, which will practically reactivate a regional energy path linking Jordan with Syria and all the way to Lebanon.
Researcher and economic expert Fadi Ayyash believes that Syria represents an essential link in this connection, noting that the importance of the step goes beyond the direct commercial aspect to economic and geopolitical dimensions linked to reactivating its position as an energy corridor in the Levant.
According to Ayyash, the project brings the “Arab Gas Pipeline” back to the forefront, and moves regional connectivity projects from political agreements and initiatives to the implementation stage based on common economic interests.
The “Arab Gas Pipeline” dates back to 2003, and was established to transport Egyptian natural gas to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon, with plans to extend it later towards Europe. It was also proposed to revive it before 2021 during a meeting of energy ministers in Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Lebanon, but the project faced political and legal obstacles at the time, most notably the restrictions associated with the “Caesar Act.”
The new route allows Jordan to employ its logistical capabilities in the Aqaba region to receive liquefied gas, while Syrian territory provides the necessary corridor to transport it towards Lebanon, which may form the nucleus of a broader network of electrical and energy interconnection projects in the region.
What does Syria benefit from?
On the economic level, academic and energy affairs consultant Ziad Arabsh believes that the direct benefit to Syria may be represented by gas transit fees through its territory, provided that the agreements clearly define the mechanism for calculating and collecting these fees.
Operating the line also entails maintenance, rehabilitation, and protection of the infrastructure, which may provide job opportunities and local contracts in the fields of maintaining pipes, securing their routes, and related services.
Ayyash points out the possibility that Syria will receive part of the transit fees in kind, whether from natural gas or electricity, which could support the Syrian electricity sector and reduce its need for more expensive liquid fuels.
The operation of the project may also require the rehabilitation of damaged parts of the pipelines inside Syria, which will contribute to modernizing part of the energy infrastructure and raising its readiness for other regional projects in the future.
But Arabsh stresses that the passage of gas to Lebanon via Syria does not automatically mean that Damascus will obtain free quantities of it, as its actual benefit depends on the terms of the agreement, whether through transit fees, barter, or obtaining shares of gas or energy.
In parallel with the potential gains, there are challenges related to the security of pipelines and the need to protect them from sabotage, in addition to ensuring ongoing maintenance of the route.
Beyond tolls
The importance of the project does not stop at financial returns, as experts believe that it enhances economic cooperation between Syria, Jordan and Lebanon, and opens the way for other projects in the fields of gas and electricity.
According to Ayyash, the reuse of Syrian lands as a main energy corridor establishes its geographical importance in any projects linking the countries of the Levant, and gives Damascus an increasing role in regional energy arrangements.
These developments gain additional importance in light of the already existing cooperation between Damascus and Amman in the gas sector.
In January 2026, the Syrian Petroleum Company signed an agreement with the Jordanian National Electricity Company to supply Syria with about 4 million cubic meters of natural gas per day through Jordanian territory.
Syrian Energy Minister Muhammad al-Bashir said at the time that the agreement constituted an important step to secure the needs of the electricity sector and improve the reality of electrical supply, while Jordanian Energy Minister Saleh al-Kharabsheh explained that the daily supply volume to Syria was about 4 million cubic metres, which is equivalent to about 140 million cubic feet.
As gas moves through Jordan and Syria towards Lebanon, the Syrian corridor returns to play a pivotal role in the regional energy network. Between transit fees, infrastructure rehabilitation, and enhanced cooperation with neighboring countries, Damascus appears to be facing potential economic gains, but their actual size will remain linked to the terms of the agreement and the mechanism for its implementation on the ground.
