A Syrian soldier was reportedly killed by a Hezbollah rocket, while at least three civilians, including two children, lost their lives when the Syrian army shelled a Lebanese village. The attacks occurred amid escalating clashes between Syrian government forces and Hezbollah operatives, according to Arabic-language media reports on Monday.
The Syrian soldier was said to have been struck by a Hezbollah-fired rocket from Lebanon during ongoing confrontations. Meanwhile, video footage from Saudi-owned Al Arabiya showed a Hezbollah rocket landing close to a journalist and camera crew covering the Syrian-Lebanese border region. The footage also captured injured journalists and a Syrian soldier fleeing the impact site.
In a separate incident, three people were killed when Syrian government forces launched artillery strikes on villages in the Beqaa Valley of eastern Lebanon. The Lebanese army stated that it had orders to respond to any attacks originating from Syria.
Syria’s Crackdown on Hezbollah
The Syrian army has recently intensified operations targeting Hezbollah’s presence within its territory, aiming to seize weapons reportedly intended for the Iran-backed militant group. On Sunday, Syria’s defense ministry accused Hezbollah of abducting three Syrian soldiers, taking them to Lebanon, and executing them. Hezbollah has denied involvement.
Hezbollah was a key supporter of Syria’s former president, Bashar al-Assad, before he was overthrown by Islamist-led rebels in December. Following Assad’s ousting, many Hezbollah fighters withdrew to Lebanon.
Israel Strikes Hezbollah Command Center
On Sunday evening, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed that it conducted airstrikes in southern Lebanon, targeting a Hezbollah command center and other infrastructure linked to the militant group. The command center reportedly belonged to Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force. Lebanese media reported at least one fatality from the Israeli strikes.
“The presence of these terrorist infrastructure sites constitutes a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” the IDF stated. “The IDF will not allow such activities and will act against them.”
A truce between Israel and Hezbollah, brokered on November 27, 2024, temporarily paused more than a year of hostilities. However, Israel has maintained control over five strategic locations in southern Lebanon, citing security concerns and approval from the United States to keep its positions.
The situation remains tense as both Hezbollah and the Syrian military engage in cross-border hostilities, raising fears of further regional instability.
Source: https://www.timesofisrael.com/syrian-soldier-killed-by-hezbollah-rocket-3-dead-as-syrian-troops-shell-lebanon-village/