Heavy clashes rekindled along the Lebanese-Syrian border on Monday afternoon, north of Hermel, following intense shelling from Syrian territory on the town of Hosh al-Sayyed Ali, which has been held by Hezbollah since 2013. Heavy artillery fire also resumed between Mishrifa and al-Qasr.
The shelling on Hosh al-Sayyed Ali killed 7 and injured 52, according to a report published Monday evening by the Lebanese Ministry of Health.
According to latest reports, residents of the Lebanese part of Hosh al-Sayyed Ali have fled the town, as Syrian forces entered the Syrian part of the town.
Lebanese Response and Aoun’s Directives
In response to the shelling, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) returned fire under directives from President Joseph Aoun, who asserted that the deteriorating situation on Lebanon's eastern and northeastern borders “cannot continue and will not be tolerated.”
“President Aoun has given instructions to the Lebanese Army to respond to the sources of fire,” an official communique stated.
Aoun also contacted Minister of Foreign Affairs Youssef Rajji, currently in Brussels, instructing him to engage with the Syrian delegation at the “9th Conference for Supporting the Future of Syria” to prevent further escalation and ensure Lebanese sovereignty.
The daily An Nahar quoted a source in the new Syrian leadership as saying that Damascus has warned Lebanon that “clashes will continue until the killers of three Syrian fighters are handed over.”
Cabinet
Following a cabinet session on Monday, Minister of Information Paul Morcos announced that in response to the escalating border tensions, the government has issued directives to enhance border security. He also revealed that a ministerial committee has been formed to oversee and monitor border control, combat smuggling and report its findings to the Council of Ministers.
Lebanese Army’s Measures
Earlier on Monday, the Lebanese Army Command reported that two Syrians were killed and another was wounded at the border near al-Qasr-Hermel. The wounded individual later succumbed to injuries at a hospital.
Following the deaths, the LAF implemented heightened security measures and facilitated communications, eventually handing over the three bodies to the Syrian authorities. Despite these measures, Lebanese villages came under renewed shelling from Syria, prompting the army to retaliate and reinforce its border deployment.
Syrian Accusations Against Hezbollah
On the Syrian side, a senior commander accused Hezbollah of violating Syrian borders, warning that the Syrian military would “respond to any Hezbollah infiltration.” Speaking to Al-Arabiya TV, he said Syria was coordinating with the Lebanese army to secure the border.
According to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, four Syrian Ministry of Defense personnel were killed in border clashes. A Lebanese girl was also reportedly killed in the shelling.
SANA, Syria’s state-run news agency, reported that a photographer and a journalist were injured near the Zita Dam after being targeted by a Hezbollah-guided missile. The Syrian Ministry of Information condemned the attack, calling it a “blatant violation of international laws that protect journalists.” It also accused Hezbollah of kidnapping and executing three Syrian soldiers, warning that Lebanon must “hold the perpetrators accountable.”
Violence on the Lebanese-Syrian border erupted on Sunday, after the Syrian Defense Ministry accused Hezbollah of kidnapping three Syrian soldiers and killing them inside Lebanese territory, prompting Damascus to threaten to take “decisive measures” against Hezbollah.
According to the Syrian news agency SANA, the three soldiers were ambushed near the Zita Dam, where they were kidnapped by Hezbollah and taken to Lebanon before being killed.
In an official statement, Hezbollah denied any connection to the events on the border, emphasizing that it “has nothing to do with any field developments inside Syrian territory.”
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