Lebanon Closes All Land Border Crossings With Syria Except One Connecting Beirut

Beirut: Lebanon's General Security Directorate announced on Friday that the country is shutting down all land border crossings with Syria, except the main crossing linking Beirut to Damascus. This decision came shortly after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida border crossing in northern Lebanon, which had only recently been reopened.

In a separate development, Jordan's Interior Minister, Al-Frayeh, confirmed that the Naseeb border crossing with Syria was also closed due to security concerns on the Syrian side. This followed reports from Syrian opposition activists claiming that insurgents had taken control of the vital crossing, forcing Syrian authorities to vacate the area.

Separately, Israel's military said in a statement it planned to reinforce its forces stationed in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and rebel groups. The statement said it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” Meanwhile, Syrian insurgents entered the central towns of Rastan and Talbiseh early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer to Syria's third largest city, an opposition war monitor and pro-government media both reported. The break came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama, Syria's fourth largest.

In other developments, a Hamas official said international mediators have resumed negotiations with the militant group and Israel over a ceasefire in Gaza, and that he is hopeful a deal to end the 14-month war is within reach.

Israel's war against Hamas has destroyed vast areas of Gaza and displaced 90 per cent of the population of 2.3 million, often multiple times. The war began when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel in October 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage.

Israel's blistering retaliatory offensive has killed at least 44,500 Palestinians, more than half of them women and children, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many of the dead were combatants. Israel says it has killed over 17,000 militants, without providing evidence.

Here's the Latest: Many displaced Palestinians at Khan Younis aid kitchen leave with nothing KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — Crowds of displaced Palestinians, some carrying cooking pots and crying children, gathered at an aid kitchen in the southern Gaza City of Khan Younis on Friday, but many left with nothing.

“The food ran out,” said Adel Mohammad, who was hoping to get his children a meal of rice – the only food being served. “At night they wake up hungry.” After the kitchen shut down, children used their hands to scoop bits of rice left in large empty cooking pots.

The World Food Program has warned that the humanitarian response in Gaza is “nearing collapse as famine looms.” The UN agency says Israeli restrictions on aid deliveries, along with the breakdown of law and order in Gaza, has made it difficult for aid convoys to reach displaced Palestinians.

Concerns are growing with the onset of another winter of war. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, many displaced repeatedly by Israeli attacks, are living in tent camps, reliant on international aid. Experts have already warned of famine in northern Gaza, which Israeli forces have almost completely isolated since early October.

Lebanon closes all land border crossings with Syria BEIRUT -- Lebanon's General Security Directorate said Friday the country is closing all land border crossings with Syria except for a main one that links Beirut with the Syrian capital Damascus.

The decision by the security agency in charge of border crossings came hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida border crossing with Syria in north Lebanon, days after it was reopened.

“Border crossings will be closed until further notice for the safety of travellers,” the agency said in a statement posted on X.

It said that the only border crossing that will be kept open is Masnaa in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley.

Lebanon's state news agency said Friday the airstrike on the Arida crossing caused heavy material damage and cut the road.

The Israeli military said fighter jets attacked the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, adding that they were used to transfer munitions for Lebanon's Hezbollah group.

Syrian insurgents capture key crossing point on border with Jordan BEIRUT - Syrian opposition activists say insurgents have captured a main border crossing with Jordan forcing Syrian authorities to leave it.

Shortly afterwards, Jordan's Interior Minister al-Frayeh said the Naseeb border crossing with Syria had been closed because of the security situation on the Syrian side.

Opposition activists posted videos online showing people storming the border crossing with Jordan, which was in rebel hands until government forces regained control of it in 2018.

Ahmad al-Masalmeh, an opposition activist based in France who covers events in southern Syria, told The Associated Press that local gunmen have captured the Naseeb crossing as well as several other areas in the southern province of Daraa where the uprising against President Bashar Assad began in March 2011. Syrian troops have evacuated checkpoints in several areas including the villages of Inkhil, Nawa and Jassem, he added.

Israel reinforces troops in Golan Heights amid Syria tensions JERUSALEM — Israel's military said on Friday that it planned to reinforce its forces stationed in the Golan Heights and near the border with Syria, where civil war has reignited between the government and rebel groups.

The Israeli military said in a statement that it was “monitoring developments and is prepared for all scenarios, offensive and defensive alike.” After 13 years of civil war, Syrian insurgents are gaining ground, first taking cities in the country's north and on Friday entering cities in central Syria.

It comes as rebel groups mount new challenges to Russia- and Iran-backed Syrian forces, including in Aleppo, the country's largest city. Since Oct. 7, 2023, Israel has intermittently struck areas in Syria seen as strongholds of Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group it is at war with within Lebanon.

The advances of the Syrian insurgents add new instability on Israel's northern border, two months after it invaded neighbouring Lebanon. Israel's defence minister and military chief of staff met to discuss the situation Thursday.

Israeli media reported there is concern in the country's security establishment that the rebels would advance until they reached the Golan Heights, territory occupied by Israel, gaining control of Syrian weapons stockpiles along the way.

Writing in the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahoronoth on Friday, veteran military correspondent Ron Ben-Yishai wrote that Israel may “prefer” to destroy the weapons storehouses so they won't fall into the hands of the rebels.

Israel seized control of the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Mideast war. Syria has constantly accused Israel of launching attacks against it from territory it occupies in the Golan Heights. Israel has frequently struck Syria over the years.

Attack near US base in eastern Syria may have wounded 3 service members, Pentagon says WASHINGTON -- Three US service members were being evaluated for potential traumatic brain injuries following an attack near a base in eastern Syria this week, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday.

Ryder said US Central Command is still evaluating who was behind the attack near Mission Support Site Euphrates, which prompted the US to conduct counter-strikes on Tuesday. At the time, the Pentagon said rockets and mortars had landed in the vicinity of the base.

The US has about 900 troops in Syria to conduct missions to counter the Islamic State group. 

(With inputs from AP)