A new armed conflict has broken out on the border between Lebanon and Syria, threatening to escalate into a full-scale confrontation. At the center of events was the Lebanese village of Qasr, located in the border zone, where three militants from the Syrian group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, a terrorist group banned in Russia), which came to power in Damascus after the overthrow of the Bashar al-Assad regime in December 2024, infiltrated. According to Lebanese sources, the local Shiite population eliminated the attackers, which provoked retaliatory actions by the Syrian forces. 

The new Syrian regime, led by HTS leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, quickly moved additional troops to the border and began shelling Qasr using multiple rocket launchers. Several civilians were killed in the attack, and the exact number of victims is still being clarified. The Lebanese army, instead of taking active measures to protect the territory, withdrew its forces from the border, limiting itself to organizing observation flights in the conflict area. 

The escalation on the Lebanese-Syrian border is the latest episode in the tense relations between the two countries, which have worsened since the change of power in Damascus. According to Arab media, in recent weeks, Syrian forces, consisting mainly of HTS fighters, have stepped up operations against arms and drug smuggling in border areas, leading to clashes with local armed groups, including Lebanese Shiite clans and groups affiliated with the Hezbollah movement. In particular, the Syrian side claims that a number of border villages, such as Hawiq on Syrian territory, were used for the transit of contraband supported by Hezbollah in the interests of the ousted Assad regime. 

The Lebanese authorities, in turn, are trying to avoid direct involvement in the conflict, fearing destabilization within the country, which is already experiencing an economic and political crisis. The decision by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to strengthen the military presence on the border and coordinate actions with the Syrian side to prevent attacks on civilians has not yet led to stabilization of the situation. On the contrary, according to Arab media, on the night of March 17, the fighting spread to several sections of the border, and Syrian forces used heavy weapons, which caused new casualties among civilians.