Protests spread rapidly through Hama, Khan Sheikhoun, and Maarat al-Numan as citizens grappled with a 9% rise in utility gas costs. The Energy Ministry defended the price adjustments as a temporary necessity to combat rising global procurement expenses. Spokesperson Abdulhamid Salat confirmed that the country currently produces 102,000 barrels of oil daily, leaving a massive deficit against a domestic demand of 325,000 barrels. This gap, previously bridged by Russian imports, has widened as Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries disrupt supply chains.

The strain is compounded by the closure of the Baniyas refinery for a three-month maintenance overhaul aimed at boosting capacity from 80,000 to 130,000 barrels per day. With 90% of the Syrian population living below the poverty line, these fuel costs hit a breaking point. While the government attempts to stabilize supply through a $5.7-billion pipeline project backed by the U.S. and Chevron, immediate relief remains elusive. Crude tanker convoys have been halted by roadblocks, further tightening supply just as Damascus attempts to consolidate control over oil fields in Deir ez-Zor and Hasakah.