Unidentified individuals from Syria entered Hoch al-Sayyed Ali, a border village in northern Bekaa, at dawn on Friday, where they set fire to the mosque before fleeing toward Syrian territory.

They also caused significant damage, reports our correspondent in the region. A civil defense unit quickly intervened, controlling the fire and preventing its spread.

Sporadic clashes had erupted in February and March between Shiite clans reputed to be close to Hezbollah and the new Syrian authorities. The Lebanese and Syrian defense ministers met at the end of March in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and agreed to strengthen security and military coordination along their common border, which is 330 kilometers long and known for its porosity. An agreement in principle on its demarcation was also signed. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam visited Damascus on April 14, where he met with Syrian Interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, to discuss, among other things, border security.

Despite these commitments, new incidents followed. At the end of April, tensions escalated for an evening at the Lebanese-Syrian border after a drone attack targeted a farm in Hoch al-Sayyed Ali. Shortly after, the Syrian authorities accused Hezbollah of firing shells from Lebanon, claiming to have responded immediately.