Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck Syrian military infrastructure near border crossings between Syria and Lebanon on Saturday, which the IDF says were being “actively” used by Hezbollah to transfer weapons, testing the fragile, days-old ceasefire.
“This strike was carried out following the identification of the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah from Syria to Lebanon, even after the ceasefire agreement, and constitutes a threat to the State of Israel, in violation of the terms of the ceasefire agreement,” the military said in a statement.
Syria’s Sham FM radio reported that the strikes targeted the al-Qusayr area. No further details were given and the IDF did not specify what kind of military installation was hit.
There was no immediate comment from Syrian authorities or activists monitoring the conflict in that country. Hezbollah also did not immediately comment.
The IDF also accused Hezbollah, with the support of the Syrian regime, of using civilian border crossings to continue trying to bring weapons into Lebanon. Israel has vowed to prevent all weapon transfers to Hezbollah amid the ceasefire.
“The IDF will continue to act to remove any threat to the State of Israel that violates the terms of the ceasefire agreement,” the military added.
The Israeli strike inside Syria came as unrest spread across that country, with Syrian insurgents breaching the country’s largest city, Aleppo, in a shock offensive that added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars.
The repeated bursts of violence — with no reports of serious casualties — reflected the uneasy nature of the ceasefire that otherwise appeared to hold. While Israel has accused Hezbollah of violating the ceasefire, Lebanon has also accused Israel of the same in the days since it took effect.
Also Saturday, the IDF said it located a cache of weapons belonging to Hezbollah hidden inside a mosque during scans in southern Lebanon in the past day.
IDF says it hit several Lebanon threats that violated ceasefire
The IDF confirms carrying out several strikes in Lebanon today, targeting threats that it says violated the ceasefire agreement.
Earlier today, the military says it identified a group of gunmen in southern Lebanon as they loaded a car up with RPGs, ammunition boxes and other military equipment. A drone then targeted the vehicle.
In another incident, a group of Hezbollah operatives were spotted at a building in southern Lebanon previously known to have been in use by the terror group. The IDF says troops struck the operatives, and later upon reaching the site found numerous weapons.
Additionally, a short while ago, the IDF says fighter jets carried out an airstrike against a Hezbollah facility near Sidon upon identifying activity there. According to the military, the site was used to store rocket launchers.
Separately, the IDF says it carried out a drone strike “deep within Lebanon” against a vehicle that was operating at a Hezbollah missile manufacturing facility.
“The IDF is deployed in southern Lebanon, working against any threat to the State of Israel, and will enforce any violation of the terms of the ceasefire agreement,” the military adds.
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