Hezbollah stopped an attack by Daesh (ISIS) on four of its positions Tuesday north of Arsal's outskirts, according to the Lebanese group's media channel.
According to Hezbollah-run Al-Manar TV, ISIS attacked Hezbollah fighters in the outskirts of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek, two northeastern Lebanese border towns.
The station said the attacks failed to bring about any gains for the notorious fundamentalist group, which controls most of the areas in question.
According to Al-Manar, ISIS's attacks aimed to take two strategic hills that Hezbollah controls.
The report claimed ISIS suffered a number of casualties during the clashes, stating that five of the group’s military vehicles, one rocket launcher, and one artillery battery were destroyed by Hezbollah.
Also Tuesday, local media reports said the Lebanese Army pounded locations of jihadis in the outskirts of Ras Baalbek, a mostly Christian village 18 kilometers north of Arsal.
Hezbollah has been battling jihadis on Lebanon’s eastern borders for more than a month, after it launched along with the Syrian Army an offensive in the hills of Syria's Qalamoun.
The allied forces have since achieved major field victories, taking 64 percent of the Qalamoun hills in less than five weeks, according to al-Manar.
Hezbollah also launched attacks on the Nusra Front in Arsal’s outskirts earlier this month, and has since taken over key hilltops in the area.
The TV station has reported that 90 percent of the Nusra Front’s positions in Arsal’s outskirts have been overtaken by Hezbollah fighters, who have now taken back 110 square kilometers in the area.
ISIS, which has been in control of most areas north of Arsal’s outskirts since last year, has also been subject to Hezbollah attacks lately, but in a less aggressive tone.
The deadliest clashes are fought by the Nusra Front militants against Hezbollah south of Arsal’s outskirts, and against the Hezbollah-backed Syrian Army troops in the outskirts of the Syrian village of Flita, east of Arsal.
Most of the outskirts of Flita have been taken by the allied forces, who seized key crossings from the area to Arsal Monday.
This story has been edited from the source material.
