Lebanese Army Closes Most Illegal Crossings with Syria

Photo released by the Lebanese army command shows seized smuggled goods in the Baalbek area.
Photo released by the Lebanese army command shows seized smuggled goods in the Baalbek area.
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Lebanese Army Closes Most Illegal Crossings with Syria

Photo released by the Lebanese army command shows seized smuggled goods in the Baalbek area.
Photo released by the Lebanese army command shows seized smuggled goods in the Baalbek area.

The Lebanese army has closed most illegal border crossings that are used to smuggle goods from and to Syria.

The army has left only one major illegal crossing and a few small roads open on the porous border.

The move came following controversy over the smuggling of subsidized commodities such as flour and fuel from Lebanon to the neighboring country.

Last week, the Lebanese government ordered the seizure of all contraband goods at its border with Syria.

Previous governments had left the illegal crossings open under the excuse of allowing Lebanese families living inside Syria territories or in villages on the border to use certain roads for the purchase of goods from Lebanon.

A cabinet minister, who refused to be identified, warned in remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat from any neglect in the implementation of the plan to seize smuggled goods and keep illegitimate crossings closed.

The Lebanese army has consolidated its presence on the border, erecting new checkpoints near the crossings.

Security and military personnel deployed on 10 such crossings from Hawsh al-Sayyed Ali in the north, all the way to al-Qaa and the Jousiyeh crossing in the east.

The land border brigade removed three bridges used by pedestrians and vehicles to cross over Jousiyeh stream to smuggle goods such as candies and tobacco from Syria to Lebanon, and flour and fuel the other way around.

The army’s measures isolated some towns, which are resided by Lebanese citizens, but are located inside Syrian territories.

Their residents called for establishing a pedestrian bridge linking the Lebanese towns with the Hermel area.

They also complained that bread was missing in the towns’ markets.



Trump Says He Hopes for Gaza Deal within a Week

US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn upon arrival at the White House in Washinton, DC, on July 13, 2025 after attending the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey. (Photo by Allison ROBBERT / AFP)
US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn upon arrival at the White House in Washinton, DC, on July 13, 2025 after attending the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey. (Photo by Allison ROBBERT / AFP)
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Trump Says He Hopes for Gaza Deal within a Week

US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn upon arrival at the White House in Washinton, DC, on July 13, 2025 after attending the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey. (Photo by Allison ROBBERT / AFP)
US President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn upon arrival at the White House in Washinton, DC, on July 13, 2025 after attending the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup final in New Jersey. (Photo by Allison ROBBERT / AFP)

US President Donald Trump said Sunday he hoped talks for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas will be "straightened out" this week.

The US is backing a 60-day ceasefire with a phased release of hostages, Israeli troop withdrawals from parts of Gaza and talks to end the conflict. Trump told reporters, "We are talking and hopefully we're going to get that straightened out over the next week."

On Sunday, Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 32 people, including six children at a water collection point, while the Palestinian death toll passed 58,000 after 21 months of war, local health officials said.
Israel and Hamas appeared no closer to a breakthrough in indirect talks meant to pause the war and free some Israeli hostages after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Washington visit last week. A sticking point has emerged over Israeli troops ' deployment during a ceasefire.
Israel says it will end the war only once Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile, something it refuses to do. Hamas says it is willing to free all the remaining 50 hostages, about 20 said to be alive, in exchange for the war's end and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces.