Motorists fleeing from Lebanon to Syria at the Masnaa border crossing in eastern Lebanon, Sept. 24, 2024. (Credit: Hassan Jarrah/AFP)
The Israeli army accuses Hezbollah of smuggling weapons from Syria through the official border crossing of Masnaa, located in eastern Bekaa, between Lebanon and Syria.
Through one of its spokespersons, the Israeli army urged the Lebanese state to "strengthen inspections of trucks" crossing civilian border points, particularly the Masnaa crossing, and to return any vehicle containing weapons to Syria.
"Four days ago, the Israeli army bombed a truck loaded with weapons in Syria that Hezbollah was attempting to smuggle into Lebanon. The images show large explosions following the bombing, indicating the presence of weapons," the statement emphasized, pointing to Hezbollah's Unit 4400 as responsible for this smuggling. "The Israeli army warns Hezbollah of the danger it poses to Lebanese citizens by using civilian crossings for its operations. We will continue to act against these trafficking activities as necessary," it added.
Caretaker Lebanese Minister of Transport Ali Hamieh, affiliated with Hezbollah, denied these smuggling accusations on Thursday, stating that all border crossings in Lebanon, including Masnaa, are "under government surveillance."
These accusations come as Israel becomes increasingly insistent regarding Lebanon's access to the outside world. In a tweet from last Saturday, Avichay Adraee, the Arabic-speaking spokesperson for the Israeli army, implicitly threatened Beirut's Rafik Hariri International Airport, mentioning the necessity for it to "remain a civilian building," warning against any attempt by Hezbollah to resupply through the air.