Lebanon’s prime minister said on Saturday after a cabinet meeting convened to address judicial actions against seven banks that the goal was to protect small depositors not lenders.

“We are protecting institutions, not individuals,” Najib Mikati told a news conference.

Lebanese banks plan a two-day strike next week in protest at judicial moves against seven major lenders, a standoff that could bring more instability for a country mired in a financial crisis since 2019.