Lebanese army reinforces border security amid escalating tensions with Syria

2^min

Following recent tensions along the Lebanese-Syrian border late Sunday, the Lebanese army has reinforced its presence on the northeastern border, carrying out artillery strikes overnight on militant targets while deploying reconnaissance aircraft along the border to prevent infiltration attempts, sources told LBCI.

Meanwhile, artillery shelling continued from positions held by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the Qusayr countryside, targeting the town of Qasr in the Hermel district.

In response to reports linking Hezbollah to the border incidents, the party's media relations department issued a statement "categorically denying" any involvement.

Hezbollah reiterated that it has no connection to any events occurring inside Syrian territory, a stance it has maintained repeatedly.

Syria's Ministry of Defense, however, declared that it would take "all necessary measures" following what it described as a "dangerous escalation" by Hezbollah. The ministry, on Sunday, accused Hezbollah of abducting three Syrian soldiers and executing them in Lebanon.

According to Syria's SANA news agency, the defense ministry's media office claimed that "a Hezbollah group ambushed three Syrian army soldiers at the border, took them into Lebanese territory, and executed them."

In a separate development, the Lebanese army issued a statement regarding the incident, stating that on March 16, 2025, two Syrians were killed and another wounded near the Lebanese-Syrian border in the vicinity of Qasr, Hermel.

The wounded individual was transported to a hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.

Following the incident, the Lebanese army implemented exceptional security measures and conducted intensive communications overnight, ultimately handing over the three bodies to Syrian authorities.

Meanwhile, Lebanese villages in the area came under fire from inside Syrian territory, prompting the Lebanese army to respond with appropriate weapons, according to a statement. The army also reinforced its presence to maintain security and prevent further escalation.

Coordination between the Lebanese army and Syrian authorities is ongoing to ensure stability along the border region.