Aoun and Sharaa agree to 'strengthen coordination to prevent any security spillover'

BEIRUT – Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a phone call Tuesday afternoon from Syrian leader Ahmad al-Sharaa to discuss reinforcing the border between the two countries, the presidency's X account reported.

The two leaders emphasized that "the current delicate situation requires enhanced coordination between the two countries, particularly to control the borders and prevent any security spillover, regardless of its source," the Lebanese presidency said.

The call follows statements from the Syrian army accusing Hezbollah of firing artillery shells from Lebanon into Syrian territory overnight. Syrian officials said shells landed near the city of Serghaya, west of Damascus, the official Sana news agency reported Tuesday. The army accused the Shiite party of targeting Syrian military positions and noted reinforcements from the pro-Iranian militia at the Syrian-Lebanese border. According to Sana, the Syrian army contacted the Lebanese army "to discuss possible options."

Hezbollah had intervened alongside former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was overthrown in December 2024 by an Islamist coalition opposed to the pro-Iranian Shiite movement. Since then, its supply routes from Syria have been cut off, and Lebanese and Syrian authorities have been working to curb smuggling across the porous border.