Source close to Hezbollah reports Israeli strikes near Syria-Lebanon border

A source close to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said late Friday that Israel carried out strikes on a convoy of trucks entering Lebanon from Syria.

“Three Israeli strikes targeted a convoy of tanker trucks on the Syrian-Lebanese border in the Hawsh el-Sayyed Ali area, injuring one Syrian driver,” the source told AFP.

It was the latest in a series of Israeli strikes in the border area, the source added.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor also reported Israeli strikes inside Syria near the border with Lebanon, without mentioning any casualties.

Iran-backed Hezbollah has a strong presence on both sides of the eastern stretch of the Lebanese-Syria border, where it supports the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The group has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israel since its Palestinian ally Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, sparking war in Gaza.

The group had muted its attacks following the killing of its military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut on Tuesday and Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday.

The Lebanese group claimed responsibility for five attacks on military positions in northern Israel on Friday.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah addressed the funeral of Shukr on Friday, warning that Israel and “those who are behind it must await our inevitable response” to the twin killings.

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah since October has killed at least 542 people on the Lebanese side, most of them fighters but also including 114 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

At least 22 soldiers and 25 civilians have been killed on the Israeli side, including in the annexed Golan Heights, according to army figures.