Lebanon Accuses Israel of Breaching Blue Line

Lebanese soldiers and citizens facing an Israeli bulldozer (social media)
Lebanese soldiers and citizens facing an Israeli bulldozer (social media)
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Lebanon Accuses Israel of Breaching Blue Line

Lebanese soldiers and citizens facing an Israeli bulldozer (social media)
Lebanese soldiers and citizens facing an Israeli bulldozer (social media)

Lebanon’s southern border witnessed severe tension following Israeli activity which Lebanon considered violations of the Blue Line demarcated by the United Nations after Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000.

The official National News Agency (NNA) said Israeli forces escalated the frequency of their violations of the Blue Line in a number of border points adjacent to southern Lebanese towns, namely Mays al-Jabal, Houla, Markaba and Honein. In return, it reported that the Lebanese Army and residents responded to these violations.

On Wednesday, NNA said a Lebanese army unit stopped an Israeli bulldozer from crossing the Blue Line at the border of Mays al-Jabal in the south.

The Lebanese Army managed to prevent the vehicle from resuming its operation in the Karkazan area at the northern outskirts of Mays al-Jabal, forcing it to retreat amid the spread of a number of Israeli military vehicles and soldiers who were stationed behind trees and rocks.

A UNIFIL patrol arrived at the scene and documented the Israeli breach, the news agency said.

NNA also said that Israeli bulldozers crossed the technical fence at an area located between the villages of Markaba and Honein, and Israeli soldiers fired five bullets into the air to scare off Lebanese civilians who tried to confront them.

In a third security incident at the Lebanese southern border, an Israeli force advanced towards an internationally reserved point at the border line, and uprooted trees outside the technical fence. It violated the Blue Line for a distance of one meter during a cleaning operation around the perimeter of the fence at the border between the town of Houla and the Al-Manara settlement.

In response, residents in the area planted 40 trees on the part damaged by Israeli equipment on the technical fence, in “a message of defiance and determination against the Israeli practices and its attempt to attack lands in Houla and the south,” NNA said.



Türkiye Intensifies Steps to Establish Air Base East of Homs

Turkish-made Hisar air defense system (Turkish Defense Industries website). 
Turkish-made Hisar air defense system (Turkish Defense Industries website). 
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Türkiye Intensifies Steps to Establish Air Base East of Homs

Turkish-made Hisar air defense system (Turkish Defense Industries website). 
Turkish-made Hisar air defense system (Turkish Defense Industries website). 

Türkiye is accelerating preparations to establish an airbase in the city of Palmyra, east of Homs, following an announcement by its Ministry of Defense last week that it is considering a request from the Syrian administration in Damascus to set up a base for training purposes.

Reports indicate that Turkish military convoys carrying equipment entered northern Syria overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, likely transporting logistical supplies and gear to the “T4” airbase in Palmyra.

The pro-government Turkish newspaper “Türkiye” reported on Wednesday that the country has taken official steps to take control of the Tiyas Military Airbase—also known as Tiyas Airport, T4 Airbase —located near the village of Tiyas, about 60 kilometers east of Palmyra in Homs province.

According to the report, Türkiye plans to establish a multi-layered air defense system at the base, incorporating domestically produced weapons. Additionally, Ankara intends to deploy reconnaissance drones and armed UAVs with advanced strike capabilities. The goal is to enhance the country’s counterterrorism efforts against ISIS while also deterring potential Israeli airstrikes in the region.

Some sources suggest that Türkiye may also consider deploying the Russian S-400 air defense system, which it acquired in the summer of 2019.

Retired Turkish Brigadier General Fahri Erenel stated that Ankara plans to take significant steps in Syria in April. He mentioned that after the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, a defense agreement was negotiated with the Syrian interim government. Under this agreement, Türkiye would provide air support and military protection to the new Syrian administration.

Israeli Concerns

Israel is deeply concerned about Türkiye’s growing cooperation with Damascus and its efforts to expand its military presence in Syria.

An Israeli security official, speaking to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday, described the potential establishment of a Turkish military base in Syria as a “possible threat” to Israel. The official, whose name was not disclosed, warned that a Turkish airbase in Syria would undermine Israel’s operational freedom and was therefore something Tel Aviv opposed.

On Friday, the Israeli military announced that it had targeted what it described as “strategic military capabilities” at Syrian army bases in Palmyra and the T4 airbase. The Israeli official indicated that the strike on T4 was a message that Israel would not tolerate any obstacles to its air operations in Syria.