March 17, 2025 – Tensions flared overnight along the Lebanon-Syria border as a deadly skirmish between Syrian Sunni militants and Lebanese Shiite forces escalated into a broader confrontation.
According to Lebanese sources, three fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)—a Sunni militant group operating in Syria—allegedly crossed into Lebanon under cover of darkness. Their reported objective: stealing a flock of sheep. However, the operation ended in bloodshed when the flock’s owner identified them and opened fire, killing all three assailants.
Lebanese authorities arrived at the scene shortly afterward, with the army collecting the bodies. The remains were later transferred back to Syria through the Red Cross.
SYRIAN MILITANT RETALIATION SPARKS CROSS-BORDER ASSAULT