The Syrian government has launched a sweeping security campaign along the country’s border with Lebanon, targeting Hezbollah-linked smuggling networks and armed groups accused of destabilizing the region. The crackdown, led by the Border Security Department (BSD), has resulted in violent clashes, arrests, and the recent rescue of two kidnapped Syrian army personnel.
Clashes in the Village of Hawik
On Thursday, Feb. 6, Syrian forces stormed the border town of Hawik in Homs Governorate as part of an operation aimed at dismantling smuggling routes and armed networks linked to the Lebanese Hezbollah operating in the region. The offensive quickly escalated into heavy clashes between security forces and local armed groups, some affiliated with Lebanese clans involved in cross-border trafficking.
The operation, which extended into Lebanese territory, led to casualties on both sides and saw the use of tanks, armored vehicles, and drones. Local sources reported that mortar shells and heavy artillery fire were deployed, striking civilian areas and prompting the Lebanese army to send reinforcements to prevent further escalation.
Kidnapping & Rescue of Syrian Army Personnel
During the clashes, two members of the Syrian army were abducted by a group linked to weapons and drug smuggling. Hours later, the BSD successfully freed the kidnapped soldiers in an undisclosed security operation. The Red Cross was reportedly involved in their medical transfer before their return to Syrian military authorities at the Jusiyah border crossing.
While Syrian state media confirmed the successful rescue, officials have not provided details about the operation or the fate of the kidnappers. The incident demonstrates the risks Syrian forces face as they attempt to reclaim control over volatile border areas long plagued by criminal networks sponsored by the former Assad regime and groups like Hezbollah.
Security Crackdown on Smuggling Networks
The latest offensive follows a series of security campaigns launched by the new Syrian administration to impose state control over the country’s borders. Syrian officials have described the operations as part of a broader strategy to “restore the rule of law” and dismantle criminal enterprises that have flourished in the region since the start of the Syrian conflict.
“The campaign aims to close weapons and drug smuggling outlets, which negatively affect both the Syrian and Lebanese people,” a Homs Governorate official told SANA, Syria’s state news agency. Officials have confirmed the arrest of multiple suspects and the seizure of large quantities of illegal weapons and contraband.
Lebanese-Syrian Border Tensions Increase
The security operation has raised tensions with Lebanon, particularly as reports emerged that elements of Hezbollah were also present in the conflict zone. Local sources reported that Hezbollah briefly detained two members of the Syrian military and seized a military vehicle before being expelled from the area by Syrian forces.
Lebanese media outlets, including An-Nahar, reported that mortar fire from Syrian territory struck the outskirts of Al-Qasr, a Lebanese border town, injuring at least one Lebanese army soldier. In response, the Lebanese military has deployed additional forces along the border to prevent further spillover of violence.
Lebanese authorities have also been drawn into the security crisis, with Prime Minister Najib Mikati making his first visit to Damascus since the fall of the Assad regime to discuss border security with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa in early January following de-escalation talks via the phone. Last month Damascus announced the creation of specialized committees to coordinate anti-smuggling efforts and address security concerns along the porous frontier.
A New Phase of Syrian Security Operations
Since assuming power on December 8, the new Syrian administration has prioritized stabilizing the country’s borders and eliminating remnants of the Assad regime’s security vacuum. The border region with Lebanon has long been a hotspot for arms trafficking, drug smuggling, and paramilitary activity, exacerbating instability in both countries.
Syrian military officials have signaled that the crackdown will continue, warning that armed groups and criminal networks must either surrender or face forceful removal. With military reinforcements arriving and negotiations ongoing between Damascus and Beirut, the region is bracing for further developments as the Syrian government asserts its control over the critical borderlands.
