The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) asserted that Hezbollah utilized the Matraba crossing for weapon smuggling.
Israeli aircraft targeted a border crossing between Syria and Lebanon in Matraba, resulting in injuries to at least eight individuals, as reported by Syrian media.
The airstrike occurred four days into the Israeli military operation against Lebanon, dubbed “Northern Arrows,” which Israel claims is directed at Hezbollah.
“The Israeli enemy unexpectedly struck arrivals from Lebanese territory on the crossing bridge between Syria and Lebanon, injuring eight individuals,” Syrian state news agency SANA quoted the border crossing director, Ayal Alloush, as stating on Thursday.
Alloush also stated that the bombing caused property damage to the crossing and the surrounding area. Matraba is situated in the Homs governorate, which borders northern and central Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike on “infrastructure” at the Syria-Lebanon border. According to the Times of Israel, the IDF claimed that the Matraba bridge was used by Hezbollah to smuggle weapons from Syria.
Israeli bombs targeted the bridge on the Syrian side of the crossing, Lebanese transportation minister Ali Hamieh told Reuters, adding that the usability of the crossing was uncertain.
The IDF has conducted over 1,500 airstrikes against Lebanon since Monday, claiming to have significantly hampered Hezbollah’s capabilities. These strikes have resulted in the deaths of nearly 700 individuals, including dozens of women and children, according to Lebanese authorities.
The deadliest single strike to date reportedly claimed 23 lives in the town of Younine, near Baalbek. Israeli bombs targeted a building housing Syrian refugees, resulting in the deaths of primarily women and children, as stated by Younine mayor Ali Qusas.