Lebanon fears Israeli ground incursions from Syria into eastern region

Forces 'quietly' moving through Syria near Lebanese border, security officials say

Israeli soldiers patrolling an area near the occupied Golan Heights village of Majdal Shams, in Syria. EPA

Lebanese security officials have warned of increasing fears that Israel may attempt to infiltrate its eastern region from Syria, following recent military advances in the neighbouring country.

Two security sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Israeli forces were quietly and gradually moving through areas of Syria near the Lebanese border.

They reported several Israeli troops have been deployed in Qatana, a strategic location about 30 kilometres north of the occupied Golan Heights, 20km south-west of Damascus and only 10km from Lebanon.

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“They can see the eastern region," one source said. "This is a very serious threat to Lebanon. Security agencies fear Israel might build up its troops there and begin incursions into Lebanon."

Since the fall of the Assad regime in Syria in December, Israeli warplanes have routinely targeted positions along the frontier between Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley and Syria, part of a campaign to disrupt the transfer of weapons to Hezbollah.

Last year, Israel launched heavy air strikes on Lebanon’s eastern region, including Baalbek, hitting towns and villages with a known Hezbollah presence and suspected arms depots. The strikes caused widespread destruction across the Bekaa Valley.

Despite a ceasefire, attacks in the region have continued. For Lebanese security officials, the concern is that Israel could now use its positions in southern Syria to stage ground incursions into eastern Lebanon, aiming to dismantle Hezbollah missile launchers and strike its depots, much like it has done in the south.

Syrian defence officials did not respond to The National’s request for comment.

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike on south Lebanon. EPA

Key strategy

“Israel wants to establish a larger security buffer zone in southern Syria, extending several kilometres towards Damascus, mainly to stop any new attempts to smuggle Iranian weapons into Lebanon through Syrian territory,” one source said.

“Strengthening military control near the Golan Heights, blocking Hezbollah’s influence, and expanding Israel’s presence in southern Syria with artillery and other weaponry is key to their strategy. For the first time, they may be trying to gain a foothold in eastern Lebanon.”

Israel’s advances come as Lebanon is caught between US pressure to disarm Hezbollah, continuous Israeli targeting of the group and the threat of internal unrest.

On Tuesday, Lebanon’s government failed to vote on a motion to disarm Hezbollah during a heated Cabinet session but did set a timetable to address the issue. “The Cabinet has decided to continue discussions on the American proposal in a government session on August 7 and to task the army with drafting a plan to restrict weapons by the end of this year, to be presented before August 31,” Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said.

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The high-stakes talks are part of a US-led push for Lebanon to commit to disarming Hezbollah. They coincided with a fierce speech by Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem, who firmly rejected any disarmament, in one of the group’s most defiant public messages in months.

“We’ve reached a critical point,” said one of the security sources. “Internal tensions are rising, Israel continues its air strikes, and now it’s moving closer to Lebanon’s eastern region from across the Syrian border.

"This is a significant threat," he added. "It may all be part of a co-ordinated plan: pressure Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah, create internal chaos, strike from the air, occupy positions in the south and try to enter from the east."