Lebanon and Syria’s armies affirm they have been in communication to mitigate the increasing border tensions.
According to Syrian state media, citing anonymous officials, the Syrian army launched shells at “Hezbollah gatherings” that were said to have killed the Syrian soldiers along the border during the night.
A statement from the Lebanese national army confirmed the fighting on Monday and announced the deployment of reinforcements to manage the situation. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights mentioned unconfirmed reports of Lebanese armed groups’ involvement in the fighting.
The Lebanese military said that significant numbers of troops have been stationed in the area. Early Monday, after an attack on a Syrian military vehicle, low-level fighting was reported.
Four journalists embedded with the Syrian army were slightly injured on Monday due to an artillery shell from the Lebanese side hitting their position. They blamed Hezbollah for the attack.
Claims and Allegations
It remains unconfirmed which Lebanese groups are involved in the fighting.
The Syrian interim government accuses Hezbollah of penetrating Syria, kidnapping, and killing three soldiers on Lebanese territory.
Violence has surged in the region between the Syrian military and armed Lebanese clans supporting the regime of deposed President Bashar al-Assad.
Last week, widespread violence resulted in a substantial death toll among loyalists to al-Assad and Alawite civilians within Syria.
Lebanese media reports state that the clans were also implicated in the kidnapping.
Both the Lebanese and Syrian armies have been communicating to reduce border tensions. According to reports, the Lebanese military delivered the bodies of the three soldiers to Syria.
No immediate reports of additional casualties were documented on Monday. However, there are signs that overnight clashes and shelling have pushed civilians away from the border areas to Hermel, Syria.
The 375km (233-mile) porous and rugged Lebanon-Syria border lacks clear demarcations in several regions.
Hezbollah denies responsibility for the kidnapping and killing of the Syrian soldiers. A senior Hezbollah legislator, Hussein Haj Hassan, claims that fighters from the Syrian side initiated attacks on Lebanese territory.
Lebanon is seeking international financial support to strengthen its military, with troops being gradually positioned along its borders with Syria and Israel.
The Israeli military announced on Monday that it had conducted an air strike in southern Lebanon, targeting two Hezbollah fighters.
