Lebanese Army expands presence along Syria border as tensions escalate
2 Min Read
Tensions have flared along the Lebanese-Syrian border as shelling and clashes intensified between Lebanese clans and militants from Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
-
Members of the new security forces stand guard at a checkpoint located near the border with Lebanon, in the town of Serghaya, Syria, Tuesday, January 7, 2025. (AP)
A cautious calm looms over the Syrian-Lebanese borders amid the deployment of Lebanese Army positions as Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) factions to barren mountains facing Lebanon, Al Mayadeen's correspondent reported on Sunday.
The Lebanese Army has sent military reinforcement to the al-Qaa Valley in eastern Lebanon after armed HTS members fired at the site using medium-range weapons from the direction of the Syrian town of Jousieh, located in the Qusayr countryside.
Tensions have flared along the Lebanese-Syrian border as shelling and clashes intensified between Lebanese clans and HTS militants.
One of Al Mayadeen's correspondents reported that artillery positions belonging to HTS in Syria’s Qusayr countryside shelled areas on the outskirts of Hermel, Lebanon, on Sunday. Meanwhile, the National News Agency reported that two drones operated by Syrian militants were shot down over the border region of Jarmash.
In response to the escalating violence, the Lebanese Army issued a statement on Saturday evening, announcing that its leadership had instructed military units stationed along the northern and eastern borders to retaliate against any fire originating from Syrian territory. The order was given under the directives of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun.
The statement confirmed that "army units have begun responding with appropriate weapons" following recent clashes, during which several Lebanese border areas were subjected to shelling and gunfire.
Read more: Shelling from Syria hits Lebanese border towns injures 10
