Lebanese army opens fire on Syrian warplanes

Published March 5th, 2014 - 08:54 GMT
Arsal is a frequent target of Syrian spillover attacks (File Archive)
Arsal is a frequent target of Syrian spillover attacks (File Archive)

Conflicting reports emerged on Wednesday on whether the Lebanese army opened anti-aircraft fire at Syrian warplanes that intensively hovered over regions the Lebanese border town of Arsal, in the eastern Bekaa.

MTV said that a Syrian airstrike targeted an area near a post for the Lebanese army in village of Aqba Al Mabeeda, prompting the army to open anti-aircraft fire.

However, security sources denied in comments to LBCI that the Lebanese army used its air defense systems against Syrian warplanes.

The state-run National News Agency reported that Syrian warplanes staged three airstrike, targeting the villages of Kherbet Younine and Wadi Ajram on the outskirts of Arsal.

It was unclear if there were any casualties in the raids.

The raid was the latest in a string of cross-border strikes against Arsal. On Monday, Syrian warplanes fired 18 missiles on the outskirts of Arsal and nearby areas.

A December air raid prompted the Lebanese Army to fire back with anti-aircraft guns.

Arsal has a long shared border with Syria, stretching along much of Damascus province and part of Homs province.

That was believed to be the first time the Lebanese army had responded to a raid, though it had previously threatened to do so.

Since the eruption of the neighboring country's war, Arsal has repeatedly been targeted with Syrian rockets.

Smugglers have long taken their goods across the porous border, and since the beginning of the Syrian conflict in March 2011, weapons and fighters have moved across the border too.

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