IDF accuses Hezbollah of using civilian crossing between Lebanon and Syria to smuggle Iranian weapons

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

People fleeing Lebanon wait to cross the border with Syria through the Masnaa crossing in eastern Lebanon, on September 24, 2024. (Hassan Jarrah/AFP)
People fleeing Lebanon wait to cross the border with Syria through the Masnaa crossing in eastern Lebanon, on September 24, 2024. (Hassan Jarrah/AFP)

The IDF accuses Hezbollah of using the civilian Masnaa Border Crossing between Lebanon and Syria to smuggle Iranian weapons into the country, warning that it will act to prevent the terror group from obtaining new arms.

Tens of thousands of people, mainly Syrians, have fled Lebanon via the crossing in recent days as fighting has escalated between Israel and Hezbollah.

Col. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesman, says that since the military struck other border crossings between Lebanon and Syria last week that were used by Hezbollah to smuggle arms, the terror group began to use Masnaa as its main route for weapon shipments.

The terror group has also been attempting to repair the other damaged crossings following the Israeli strikes, according to the IDF.

Adraee says that this past week, the IDF struck a truck ferrying “sensitive weapons” to Hezbollah via one of the crossings. The IDF publishes footage of the strike.

The military warns that it will not allow weapon shipments to Hezbollah via the civilian crossing.

“The state of Lebanon is responsible for its official border crossings and its ability to prevent Hezbollah from [using] these crossings. The IDF urges the Lebanese state to carry out a strict inspection of the trucks passing through the civilian crossings and to return the trucks and vehicles containing weapons to Syria,” Adraee says.

“If necessary, [the IDF] will not hesitate to act, just as it has done during the entire war,” he adds.

Lebanese Transport Minister Ali Hamia, a Hezbollah member, is set to hold a press conference to deny the claims, Channel 12 reports.

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