Syria has accused Hezbollah of kidnapping and executing three Syrian soldiers near the Syrian-Lebanese border, prompting the Syrian army to shell Hezbollah positions in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley.

Axar.az, citing JP, reports that Hezbollah has denied involvement, though reports indicate clashes have resulted in casualties, including the death of a Syrian soldier and injuries to journalists.

The tensions come in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, which analysts link to Israel’s 2024 military campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Since Assad’s fall, Syria’s interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa al-Julani, has vowed to curb Iranian and Hezbollah influence. Clashes between the Syrian army and Hezbollah have primarily occurred in Al Qusayr, a critical smuggling route for Iranian arms.

مشاهد حصلت عليها #العربية للحظة استهداف الجيش السوري مواقع لـ"حزب الله" بعشرات الصواريخ بالقرب من الحدود السورية اللبنانية بريف #حمص pic.twitter.com/rcodfRjq04

— العربية (@AlArabiya) March 17, 2025