Lebanese tribal fighters with a military vehicle captured from HTS militants, in Hawik, Lebanon, February 6, 2025. Photo: social media.
Clashes renewed on the Lebanon-Syria border on February 7 between Lebanese tribespeople and the forces of the Syrian Military Operations Department led by the terrorist organization Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS).
Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported “artillery shelling and heavy machine gun fire on the town of Jarmash, on the city of Hermel’s northern border with Syria.” Part of Jarmash is located on the Syrian side of the border, while the other part is on the Lebanese side.
The Lebanese media outlet Al-Mayadeen’s correspondent in Lebanon reported that a booby-trapped drone launched by the HTS-led forces exploded over Jarmash. The correspondent also said that two rockets struck the outskirts of the town of Al-Kawakh north of Hermel, which came from the countryside of Qusayr in Syria.
According to Al-Mayadeen, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have begun to send reinforcements to the area.
On February 6, clashes erupted in Hawik, a town that lies on both sides of the Lebanon-Syria border.
Three members of the HTS-led forces were killed and two others were taken captive by the Lebanese tribes, while two Lebanese fighters were captured by the HTS militants.
Video footage showed the Syrian captives in the custody of the Lebanese tribal fighters. A Syrian military vehicle was also reportedly taken by them.
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“The Lebanese army is taking precautions in this regard, but does not intervene in the clashes that are taking place except by political orders, if the issue requires the intervention of the security services. The army is currently taking a neutral position,” Lebanese security forces told The Cradle on February 6. However, reinforcements were sent to the area the following day.
Hours later, an exchange of prisoners took place. The two Lebanese were handed over to Lebanese authorities in exchange for two wounded HTS fighters and a dead body. In addition, 16 women and children who were kidnapped by the HTS fighters during the clashes were returned to Lebanon.
The town of Hawik is known as a hotbed for smuggling between Lebanon and Syria. Earlier this week, the HTS-led Military Operations Department deployed forces to set up checkpoints in an attempt to thwart smuggling.
This was not the first time that border clashes erupted with Syrian authorities led by HTS that assumed de facto control of Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024.
Last month, several Lebanese soldiers were wounded by HTS-affiliated armed groups.
The de facto Syrian authorities recently announced that all armed factions, including HTS, will be dissolved and incorporated into a state army. Foreign fighters previously associated with al-Qaeda and other extremist groups have been appointed to top positions in the new Syrian military.
