Syria closes key border crossing with Lebanon after Israeli strike warning

Damascus: Syrian authorities have temporarily shut down a key land border crossing with Lebanon amid security concerns after Israel warned of possible strikes on the area.

The General Authority for Land and Sea Borders and Crossings said the Jdeidet Yabous crossing—directly opposite Lebanon’s Masnaa crossing on the Syrian Lebanese border—is designated exclusively for civilian use and is not linked to any military activity.

“There are no armed groups or militias present at the crossing, and it is not used for any activity outside civilian and legal frameworks,” the authority said in a statement, adding that traffic would resume once the situation stabilises.

The announcement followed a statement by the Israeli military that it intended to target the road leading to the Masnaa crossing, a major transit point, alleging that Hezbollah uses the route for military operations, according to Xinhua news agency.

Tensions along the Syrian Lebanese frontier have remained high amid broader regional hostilities involving Israel, the United States and Iran.

Earlier, on March 31, Syrian interim President Ahmed al Sharaa said Syria would stay out of any wider conflict unless it was directly targeted, stressing the country’s focus on post war recovery.

“No one is ready to be involved in war, and we will not be in it, unless we are subject to aggression and we have no diplomatic solution,” he said at an event hosted by the think tank Chatham House in London.

Al Sharaa added that the government’s priorities were stabilising the economy, rebuilding infrastructure and facilitating the return of displaced citizens.

“We had enough war. We paid a large bill. We are not ready for another war experience,” he said. “Those who have been in war know the value of peace.”

(Inputs from IANS)