Lebanon is trying to redraw its border with Israel. Official Israeli sources say that Lebanon is about to award offshore oil and gas exploration licenses in areas that encroach on Israel’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). It is unclear what Israel plans to do about this matter, which could ignite the border dispute with Lebanon. However, international law experts say that Israeli is liable to lose territory if it does not object to the Lebanese acts in court, or even militarily.

In early September, Lebanon published tenders for offshore oil and gas exploration licenses in five blocks in its EEZ. Israeli sources who examined the coordinates found that the area of the southernmost license, Block 9, encroaches on the border that Israel claims for its EEZ. This license is considered attractive with high chances of a major natural gas discovery.  [Link]