Israel says struck Hezbollah 'smuggling route' on Syria-Lebanon border Jerusalem, Dec 6 (AFP) Dec 06, 2024 Israel's army said Friday it had conducted air strikes on Hezbollah "weapon-smuggling routes" on the Syria-Lebanon border, just over a week into a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon. Lebanon's General Security agency said Friday that crossings to Syria, except the main Masnaa point, would close "until further notice" due to "the repeated Israeli attacks that have targeted land border crossings, especially in the north". The Israeli military said the air force "conducted strikes on weapon-smuggling routes and terror infrastructure sites located near the Syrian regime's crossings at the Syrian-Lebanese border", in a statement that included a map identifying a crossing as Al-Arida. Syrian state news agency SANA reported that "the Al-Arida border crossing between Syria and Lebanon is out of service again due to an Israeli attack that targeted it" early Friday. Lebanon's official National News Agency said the strike "led to damage to infrastructure" and cut off the border road "again after the bridge was repaired". The Israeli army said the strikes aimed to prevent weapons smuggling from Syria into Lebanon, and has struck Syria-Lebanon border crossings in the past for the same reason. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said Israeli warplanes also launched air strikes targeting a border crossing "linking Lebanese territory with the outskirts of Qusayr southwest of Homs". Syrian state media did not report the strikes in the area. The raids come amid mutual accusations between Israel and Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire that came into effect in Lebanon on November 27. Later on Friday, the Israeli military said its troops operating in the west of southern Lebanon had "located and destroyed launchers aimed at Israeli territory, as well as a truck equipped with a missile launcher, mortars, dozens of rockets, crates of ammunition" and assault rifles. The military insisted it was operating within the terms of the ceasefire agreement. burs/dv |
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