Media: Hezbollah shells Syrian army positions near Al-Qusayr

Units of the Hezbollah militant group reportedly shelled positions of the Syrian Arab Army in the Al-Qusayr region of western Homs province, according to a statement by Syria’s Ministry of Defence carried by the state-run SANA news agency.

The artillery attack, launched from Lebanese territory, prompted an immediate military response from Syrian forces, who returned fire after determining the coordinates of the launch sites.

The Syrian Defence Ministry noted that coordination is underway with the Lebanese Armed Forces, which have taken charge of securing the area and apprehending those responsible for the attack.

Following a formal request from the Lebanese side, Damascus agreed to temporarily suspend its retaliatory strikes to allow the Lebanese Army to carry out its ongoing security operation within the affected border region.

The Lebanese-Syrian border, stretching approximately 375 kilometres (233 miles), has long posed security challenges for both countries due to its rugged geography and poorly defined demarcation lines. Despite the presence of six official border crossings, vast areas remain uncontrolled, facilitating illicit activity through numerous informal and unmonitored routes.

Tensions between Damascus and Hezbollah have escalated in recent weeks. Last month, Syria's Ministry of Defence accused the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group of abducting and killing three Syrian soldiers—an allegation Hezbollah firmly denied. In response, Damascus vowed to take "all necessary measures" to address what it described as a dangerous provocation.

The Syrian government has since sought to bolster security along its western border with Lebanon, focusing efforts on cracking down on drug smuggling networks and remnants of the former regime accused of fomenting instability in the region.

In a bid to ease tensions and improve coordination, Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and his Lebanese counterpart Michel Menassa met in Saudi Arabia late last month. The two ministers underscored the strategic necessity of formally demarcating the border and enhancing bilateral cooperation on military and security matters.

By Vugar Khalilov