u/Disastrous-Love8221

I'm trying to set up automated WhatsApp messaging for a business use case (think things like booking confirmations). I've done a lot of research on the global options (Meta Cloud API direct, BSPs like Wati, 360dialog, AiSensy), but I'm hitting a wall on the Lebanon-specific side and would love to hear from anyone who's actually been through this locally.

What I'm trying to figure out:

1. Has anyone here successfully set up the WhatsApp Business API from Lebanon? Did you go directly through Meta Cloud API or through a BSP? What worked, what didn't?
2. Business verification with Meta — what documents did you actually need? I keep reading about commercial registration, utility bills, tax docs, etc. Is a Lebanese commercial registry (سجل تجاري) enough on its own? Did anything need to be translated or notarized? Did you use a Lebanese entity or set up offshore (UAE, Delaware, etc.) to make verification easier?
3. Pre-verification limits: unverified accounts are capped at 250 messages per 24 hours. Has anyone operated at that tier for a while before getting verified? Any gotchas?
4. Real costs for a Lebanese setup: what did you actually pay monthly once you factored in Meta's per-message fees (utility templates to Lebanese numbers), BSP fees if you used one, and any setup costs?
5. Local freelancers/agencies: Does anyone know Lebanese developers or agencies who've done WhatsApp API integrations before? Open to hiring help if it speeds things up.
6. Payment for Meta fees: How are you paying Meta from Lebanon, given the banking situation? Foreign card, Wise, a friend abroad, offshore entity?

Any insights, war stories, or "here's what I wish I knew before starting" would be massively appreciated. Happy to share what I learn back with the community once I get through it.

Thanks in advance🙏