Lebanon: Hezbollah Fighters Preparing for Imminent Anti-ISIL Operation in Eastern Mountains

The Arabic-language Lebanon 24 news website reported that the final operation of Hezbollah combatants to purge Lebanon’s Eastern Chain Mountains of ISIL terrorists will start in the next 10 days.

The website added that the Hezbollah fighters are to carry out a large-scale operation to liberate Alqa’a and a part of Arsal heights from ISIL.

Relevant reports said last week that the al-Qaeda-linked Tahrir al-Sham Hay’at (the Levant Liberation Board) militant group attempted to infiltrate the Syrian border from Lebanon’s ‘Arsal Municipality, resulting in a fierce battle with the Syrian Army and Hezbollah near Jaroud Faleeta.

According to a source in Damascus, the army and Hezbollah managed to repel the infiltration attempt, while also killing and wounding more than five militants from Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham near Jaroud Faleeta.

The source added that the army and Hezbollah also destroyed a machine gun trench with an anti-tank Kornet missile.

Tahrir Al-Sham has repeatedly attempted to establish a presence in Jaroud Faleeta recently, however they have repeatedly failed, as the Syrian Army and Hezbollah forces in the area prove too strong.