Illustrative image.
The Syrian Ministry of Defense continues to deploy reinforcements, including units with foreign jihadists, along the border with Lebanon, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on June 24.
The military buildup began earlier this month despite Syrian President Ahmaed al-Sharaa dismissing the possibility of an intervention against Hezbollah in Lebanon after United States President Donald Trump suggested this on more than one occasion.
The recent report by the SOHR provided precise details about the deployment, which begins from the southern countryside of Tartus, from the areas facing Qulay’at Airport, officially known as Rene Mouawad Airport, and the town of al-Haysa in the northern countryside of Akkar in Lebanon, all the way to the towns of al-Wa’wa’ and al-Dakika.
In the western countryside of Homs, the deployment is focused in the towns of Talkalakh, al-Nazariya, Hawik, al-Fadiliya, which border the eastern countryside of Akkar and Baalbek-Hermel in Lebanon.
The deployment continues moving south along the border with Baalbek-Hermel, according to the London-based monitoring group, which named the towns of al-Nabk, Yabroud, Qara, Flita, and al-Jarajir in the al-Qalamoun mountain chain in Rif Dimashq as key gathering points.
Further south on the border with the eastern countryside of Beqaa in Lebanon, the deployment is near the Zabadani and Madaya.
The SOHR also noted that the Syrian Ministry of Defense has been reinforcing the units deployed in the western countryside of Homs with heavy weapons, which are being transferred from the eastern Aleppo countryside, specifically from the towns of Manbij, Ain al-Arab, and Maskana, as well as from the areas close to Tishrin Dam and Qarqozak Bridge on the Euphrates River.
This suggest that any intervention into Lebanon will begin from the western Homs countryside in the directions of the eastern countryside of Akkar and Baalbek-Hermel.
The report came out on the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to hold a Security Cabinet meeting regarding Syria in connection with Lebanon.
Despite Sharaa denying that Syria would intervene in Lebanon, Israel is concerned about the military buildup along the border of the two countries.
Channel 12 even reported that Israel has identified indications that Syria is looking to seize control of parts of Lebanon. Analysts in Israel confirmed to the news channel that Syria is strengthening its influence in border areas, while also moving to take control of Lebanese power centers. They voiced their concern about a return to Syrian dominance in Lebanon, similar to the pre-2005 era, as well as strengthened ties between Syria, the U.S., and the Gulf States.
Hezbollah and its main ally Iran have so far remained silent over Trump’s latest remarks and recent reports of Syrian military buildup along the border with Lebanon.
A Syrian intervention in Lebanon will likely lead to a multi-dimensional conflict that would further destabilize the entire Middle East. While it remains highly unlikely, the Syrian military buildup suggests that Sharaa is at least considering the possibility. In the end, the decision will likely be up to Trump himself.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence
NOW hosted at southfront.press
Previously, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.org.
The .org domain name had been blocked by the US (NATO) (https://southfront.press/southfront-org-blocked-by-u-s-controlled-global-internet-supervisor/) globally, outlawed and without any explanation
Back before that, from 2013 to 2015, SouthFront: Analysis and Intelligence was at southfront.com