Lebanon has closed all land border crossings with Syria, except for the main route linking Beirut to Damascus. The General Security Directorate, which manages borders, announced the decision hours after an Israeli airstrike damaged the Arida crossing in northern Lebanon. This crossing had just reopened.
Jordan’s Interior Minister, Mazen al-Frayeh, confirmed the closure of the Naseeb border crossing. He cited security issues on the Syrian side. Syrian opposition activists claimed insurgents had taken control of the crossing, forcing Syrian authorities to withdraw.
Israel’s military said it would reinforce forces in the Golan Heights and along its border with Syria. It is monitoring the situation closely and preparing for various scenarios. Fighting between government forces and rebel groups has escalated in Syria.
In Syria’s central region, insurgents have captured Rastan and Talbiseh, towns north of Homs. This brings them closer to Syria’s third-largest city. Opposition forces also took control of Hama, Syria’s fourth-largest city, in recent days.
In Gaza, a Hamas official reported that international mediators have resumed talks with both Hamas and Israel to negotiate a ceasefire. He expressed hope that a resolution to the 14-month conflict could soon be achieved.
