Israel strike on Lebanon-Syria crossing hampers key escape route

AL QUSAYR: The flow of displaced families crossing from Lebanon into Syria via a secondary crossing has slowed to a trickle after an Israeli strike there last week, a local official told AFP on Monday.

The land crossing on Lebanon’s northeastern border, known as Jousieh on the Syrian side, connects to Qusayr in Syria’s Homs province.

It was put out of service last Friday when the Israeli strike created a large crater that blocked vehicle traffic.

The raid came after the main land border with Syria, known as Masnaa on the Lebanese side and which lies between Beirut and Damascus, was forced to close by an Israel strike on October 4.

The attacks have heavily constrained the ability of people to flee Lebanon overland at a time when all airlines except the national carrier have suspended flights.

Hundreds cross into Syria from Lebanon after Israel strikes: security source

“The movement of displaced people has dropped by 90 percent since the (Jousieh) crossing was targeted,” said Dabbah al-Mashaal, a Syrian official who oversees the crossing.

“We used to receive about 1,500 people a day, but today the number does not exceed 150,” he told AFP.

Lebanese authorities said on Friday that more than half a million people, mostly Syrians, had crossed into Syrian territory since Israel began heavily striking Lebanon late last month at the start of its all-out war with Hezbollah.

Six official land crossings connect the two countries, although there are many unofficial routes along the porous border.

Four connect Lebanon to Homs province to the northeast. The province is home to the city of Qusayr, which became a major hub for Hezbollah when it intervened in the Syrian civil war in support of President Bashar al-Assad.

At the Jousieh crossing on Monday, people were seen crossing into Syria on foot, carrying their belongings in plastic bags and pushing buggies, according to an AFP correspondent.

The Israeli army said on Friday that it had destroyed Hezbollah infrastructure at the crossing.

Israel has repeatedly accused the Iran-backed group of transferring weapons into Lebanon from Syria.

Since September 23, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed at least 1,672 people, according to an AFP tally of nationwide health ministry figures though the real number is likely to be higher due to data gaps.