The Syrian Defense Ministry told Syrian state media late on Sunday that it had taken measures to counter a “dangerous escalation” by Hezbollah.
The ministry later confirmed to SANA that Hezbollah had “ambushed and kidnapped three members of the Syrian Arab Army on the Syrian-Lebanese border near the Zeita Dam, west of Homs, before taking them to Lebanese territory and executing them on the spot.”
SANA quoted the ministry as saying: “We will take all necessary measures after this dangerous escalation by Hezbollah militias.”
Following the announcement, Lebanese media reported that the Syrian army had begun shelling Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, a Hezbollah stronghold.
مشاهد حصلت عليها #العربية للحظة استهداف الجيش السوري مواقع لـ”حزب الله” بعشرات الصواريخ بالقرب من الحدود السورية اللبنانية بريف #حمص pic.twitter.com/rcodfRjq04
— العربية (@AlArabiya) March 17, 2025
During the shelling, Hezbollah denied any responsibility for the kidnapping and murder of the soldiers, telling pro-Hezbollah media, “We reiterate what we have previously announced repeatedly: Hezbollah has no connection to any events taking place within Syrian territory.”
Hezbollah-aligned media reported that one person had been killed in the clashes.
Al Arabiya/Al Hadath reported that one Syrian army member was killed and two journalists were wounded by a Hezbollah missile on the Syrian border.
Lebanese media reported following the clashes that “The Lebanese army handed over, via the Lebanese Red Cross, the bodies of three Syrian fighters at a border crossing with Syria.”
Assad regime collapse fallout
Many analysts pointed to Israel’s victory over Hezbollah during the 2024 invasion of Lebanon as a key factor in the eventual collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
Hezbollah was a key pillar of the Assad regime, and Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa al-Julani has vowed to prevent the return of both Iranian and Hezbollah influence.
The Syrian army has clashed with Hezbollah several times since the overthrow of the Assad regime in December.
Most of the fighting has been concentrated near the border town of Al Qusayr, which served as a key smuggling point for Iranian arms shipments to Hezbollah.
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