The Lebanese Army announced Thursday that it had "closed three illegal crossings" on the Lebanese-Syrian border, marked by rising tensions and clashes on Sunday and Monday.

"As part of the fight against infiltration and smuggling across the northern and eastern borders, an army unit closed three illegal crossings in the Qaa region, as well as in the Mashrafeh and Doura-Hermel areas," the army stated on X.

On Thursday, the ministerial committee tasked with examining border security and combating smuggling recommended "enhancing the army's capabilities in equipment and manpower, to enable it to more effectively combat smuggling and arrest smugglers."

The same day, the Lebanese Red Cross, accompanied by the army, handed over the body of a Syrian army fighter to the Syrian authorities at the Joussieh-Qaa border post, the state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported. On Sunday, the Red Cross handed over to the Syrian authorities three bodies found near a border earth embankment near al-Qasr.

Clashes on the Lebanese-Syrian border, particularly at the Hermel level, between Lebanese Shiite clans and the Syrian army began several weeks ago. The most recent flared up on Sunday afternoon following an incident that the Lebanese side describes as an "infiltration" of  Syrian soldiers into Lebanon, near al-Qasr, described as "smugglers" by the foreign minister. On the other hand, Damascus claimed the soldiers were ambushed and "executed ... by Hezbollah."

Hezbollah has denied any involvement. Exchanges of fire involving the Lebanese Army were observed in the region. After new clashes on Tuesday night, the Lebanese Army deployed Wednesday in Hosh al-Sayyed Ali, in the Hermel district, at the border with Syria, following the withdrawal of the Syrian army from the locality, and subsequent to an agreement between Beirut and Damascus on a cease-fire.