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Iranian Factions Suffer Casualties in Strike on Syria’s Al Bukamal

Civilians inspect a site hit by an airstrike in the opposition-controlled city of Idlib, Syria June 29, 2016. (Reuters)
Civilians inspect a site hit by an airstrike in the opposition-controlled city of Idlib, Syria June 29, 2016. (Reuters)
    Cairo, Beirut, London – Asharq Al-Awsat
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Iranian Factions Suffer Casualties in Strike on Syria’s Al Bukamal

Civilians inspect a site hit by an airstrike in the opposition-controlled city of Idlib, Syria June 29, 2016. (Reuters)
Civilians inspect a site hit by an airstrike in the opposition-controlled city of Idlib, Syria June 29, 2016. (Reuters)

Four Iranian militiamen were killed in a drone strike, the second of a kind in days, targeting Syria’s Al Bukamal district in the eastern countryside of Deir Ezzor province, reported a UK-based war monitor on Tuesday.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the unidentified drone attack targeted several positions held by Iran-allied militias in Al Bukamal, which lies near Syrian-Iraqi borders.

In other news, the Syrian Information Ministry reported that an explosion went off at a gas lab near the al-Shaddadi city in the countryside of the northeastern province of al-Hasakah.

The ministry said the lab was attacked in an area run by the Washington-backed Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). It did not reveal further details.

The North Press news agency, which is based in al-Hasakah, denied that an attack took place.

Instead, it quoted exclusive sources from the gas lab saying the explosion happened after a fire broke out when an oil truck was unloading at the site.

More so, the sources revealed that the blast had slightly injured a few workers at the plant and caused damage in the area.

On Friday, Israeli airstrikes targeted a military airfield in the eastern countryside of Homs in central Syria, wounding six soldiers, the official Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

Citing a military statement, the report said the Israelis launched their attack from the direction of the al-Tanf area in southern Syria, targeting the T-4 airbase in the countryside of Homs.

It said the air defenses intercepted most missiles.

Meanwhile, the Observatory said explosions rocked the T-4 airbase, where a training center for drones that belong to pro-Iran militias is located.

The watchdog said the attack was carried out by Israeli warplanes, which flew over the al-Tanf area and fired against the airbase in Homs.

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Lebanese Army Conducts 500 Missions to Dismantle Hezbollah Infrastructure South of Litani River

A Lebanese Army vehicle near a destroyed position in the town of Naqoura in South Lebanon (AFP)
A Lebanese Army vehicle near a destroyed position in the town of Naqoura in South Lebanon (AFP)
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Lebanese Army Conducts 500 Missions to Dismantle Hezbollah Infrastructure South of Litani River

A Lebanese Army vehicle near a destroyed position in the town of Naqoura in South Lebanon (AFP)
A Lebanese Army vehicle near a destroyed position in the town of Naqoura in South Lebanon (AFP)

The Lebanese army has intensified its efforts to stop Israel from finding excuses for the ceasefire agreement in South Lebanon to endure. Since the ceasefire was declared on November 27, the army has carried out approximately 500 missions to inspect potential Hezbollah sites, dismantle infrastructure, and confiscate weapons.

Under the ceasefire deal, Hezbollah and Israel are both supposed to withdraw from southern Lebanon by Sunday to allow the Lebanese army and UN peacekeepers to provide security.

According to sources monitoring the implementation of the agreement, Hezbollah is “fully cooperating with the decisions of the Lebanese authorities.”

Israel has warned residents of over 62 towns south of the Litani River against returning to their villages. While Israel has not established any permanent military posts on Lebanese soil, it has conducted incursions and demolitions in 38 villages and towns. Israeli forces have fully withdrawn from nine of these areas, with the Lebanese army swiftly deploying in them and preparing to assume control in others.

Israeli media leaks suggest that Israel might retain control of three border points: Hamames Hill in Khiam, facing the Metula settlement; a site in Harsh Al-Labouneh in the western sector near Naqoura and Alma Al-Shaab, facing settlements in western Galilee; and Jabal Balat in the central sector near Ramiyeh, opposite the Zar’it and Shtula settlements. These claims are allegedly based on the assertion that the Lebanese army and UNIFIL have not yet completed their assignments.

However, security sources affirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat that the army has fulfilled its responsibilities, dismantling most of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure south of the Litani River. The sources stressed that the army has promptly addressed every potential site or facility reported by the ceasefire monitoring committee.

Hezbollah has reportedly not objected to any army or UNIFIL operations involving inspections, confiscation of weapons, or clearing of storage depots. Security officials revealed that the army seizes all weapons and ammunition found south of the Litani River without consulting any other parties, in accordance with political directives to enforce UN Resolution 1701. The confiscated weapons and ammunition are disposed of daily by engineering teams at three designated demolition sites.

In collaboration with and under the supervision of UNIFIL, the Lebanese army has carried out 500 missions to inspect and dismantle potential Hezbollah sites, including 100 weapons depots confirmed by the UN Secretary-General during his recent visit to southern Lebanon.

The army has also deployed in areas that Israeli troops have withdrawn from, fully complying with monitoring committee instructions despite provocations by Israeli forces. These provocations include Israeli drones dropping sound bombs near army personnel, repeated incursions into Lebanese territory, and detonations near UNIFIL units. One such incident recently injured seven members of the Finnish battalion.

The Lebanese army has documented more than 1,500 Israeli violations since the ceasefire, including land, sea, and air breaches, demolitions of buildings, and destruction of roads.