July 22, 2017•Update: July 23, 2017
By Furkan Guldemir
ARSAL, Lebanon
Clashes between Hezbollah troops and its ally Syrian Air Force (SAF), and the Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham group increased after they kicked off an offensive near a Lebanese border region Friday, local media reported.
The Hezbollah troops reportedly pounded Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham’s positions along Qalamoun and Faleeta Barrens across the border.
The pro-Hezbollah Al-Mayadeen TV channel reported that the operation in Arsal, which lies on Lebanon’s eastern border with Syria, primarily targeted fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, formerly known as al Nusra Front, but also struck groups linked to the Free Syrian Army.
According to local media in Lebanon, five Hezbollah militia were killed in the attack while the opposition claimed more than 10 Hezbollah militia were killed, including senior commanders.
Hezbollah’s media office announced 17 opposition fighters were killed in the attack and some parts of the region were taken under control.
Human rights groups expressed concerns about the 100,000 Syrian refugees living in the region.
The media is not allowed to enter Arsal region, according to the Lebanon army. The army is ready to attack.
The footage published by the Hezbollah media office showed Arsal region attacked by the artillery unit of the Shia militia.
The SAF attacked targets in the mountains along the border, according to Al-Mayadeen.
The district of Arsal, which lies around 125 kilometers (78 miles) northeast of Beirut, has been the scene of frequent fighting between Syrian armed groups, Hezbollah and the Lebanese army
