VITAL CROSSING
On Saturday, Israel had said it would target the Masnaa border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, the main gateway between the two countries.
“Due to Hezbollah’s use of the Masnaa crossing for military purposes and smuggling of combat equipment, the (Israeli army) intends to carry out strikes on the crossing in the near future,” said the military’s Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee, urging people to leave the area.
The border post was quickly evacuated on the Lebanese side and the site was virtually deserted early Sunday, with only a few guards still on duty, according to an AFP correspondent at the scene.
In Syria, borders and customs public relations director Mazen Aloush insisted that the crossing, known as Jdeidet Yabous on the Syrian side, was “exclusively for civilian use and is not used for any military purposes”.
Aloush said traffic through the crossing would be temporarily suspended due to the Israeli threat.
Masnaa is a vital trade route for both countries and a key gateway to the rest of the region for Lebanese people.
Military expert Hassan Jouni told AFP that Israel’s threat to strike the crossing “is not based on sound security considerations, but rather aims to pressure the Lebanese government … to disarm Hezbollah”.
Israel previously struck the facility in October 2024, during another war with the militant group.
The gateway then remained closed until Lebanese and Syrian authorities began repair work after a ceasefire the following month.
At another border crossing further north known as Jousieh, an AFP correspondent on Sunday saw a long line of cars and vans waiting to enter Syria as people sought an alternative route.