Lebanese media report rocket fire from Syria into border town

By Dilara Afifi and Betul Yilmaz

BEIRUT/ISTANBUL (AA) - Lebanese media reported rocket fire from Syria into the border town of Hosh Al-Sayyed Ali on Thursday.

According to the state news agency NNA, several shells were fired from the Qusayr countryside in Homs province in western Syria.

There was no immediate comment from the Syrian authorities on the report.

On Wednesday, Lebanese and Syrian authorities agreed to withdraw their forces from Hosh al-Sayyed Ali town, with Damascus vowing a “decisive and immediate” reaction to any breach by Hezbollah after the two sides exchanged fire in recent days.

Syrian authorities accused Hezbollah this weekend of kidnapping and killing three security personnel, an accusation denied by the Lebanese group.

Syria’s government aims to reinforce control along its borders, including with Lebanon, targeting drug smugglers and remnants of the former regime that have been stirring unrest.

The border, spanning 375 kilometers (233 miles), features rugged terrain with no clear demarcation in many areas. While six official border crossings exist, the region remains porous, with frequent activity at unauthorized routes.

Hezbollah had maintained strong ties with the regime of Bashar al-Assad, who ruled from 2000 to 2024.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.