At least eight displaced Syrians were wounded in a drone strike launched by the HTS-led Syrian government forces on a farm in the Lebanese village of Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali, near the Syrian borders on Thursday, April 24.
According to media reports, the wounded people were taken to a hospital in Lebanon’s northeastern area of Hermel, while the Lebanese army sent reinforcements to the targeted area after the “gunfire was heard.”
The drone attack was carried out shortly after the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday that Hezbollah launched artillery shells from Lebanon towards positions of the Syrian army in Al-Qusayr area, west of the central Syrian governorate of Homs.
The ministry said that the Syrian forces targeted the sources of fire in Lebanon “after locating the sites”, adding that it was in contact with the Lebanese army to assess the incident, and halted strikes on the fire sources upon a request by the Lebanese army.
No group, including Hezbollah, has claimed responsibility for the attacks. The Lebanese army meanwhile promised to sweep the area and pursue those responsible for targeting Syrian territory.
The tension on the Syrian-Lebanese borders started last month, after Syria’s Defense Ministry had accused Hezbollah of abducting three Syrian soldiers and killing them in Lebanon. Hezbollah denied any involvement in the alleged offensive then, with the Lebanese government confirming that the victims from the Syrian side were smugglers.
Cross-border clashes, however, erupted as a result of the alleged incident and continued for two days, leaving several people from Lebanon and Syria killed.
In a bid to contain the escalation, the Lebanese government signed a ceasefire agreement with the Syrian interim government on March 17 aimed to enhance bilateral coordination and cooperation. Nevertheless, the agreement was reportedly breached by Syria three days after it was signed.
Al-Sharaa administration’s contradictions regarding national security and stability
Although the Al-Sharaa administration has demonstrated firm actions against attacks allegedly attributed to Hezbollah in Lebanon, and pro-Assad supporters in Syria, it has not responded to any aerial assault or land incursion carried out by Israel since it took over Syria in December 2024.
This confirms suspicions that the orientation of the Syrian Interim President Ahmad Al-Sharaa will be to align with the policy of the United States and its allies in the West Asia region, with recent media reports revealing his interest to normalize ties with Israel.
