The main crossing point between Lebanon and Syria remained closed on Sunday after Israel warned of an imminent strike, a day after launching fresh deadly air raids on southern Lebanon.
In a statement posted on social media late on Saturday, Israeli army Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee said the military intended to target the Masnaa border crossing “in the near future”. He alleged that the crossing was being used by Hezbollah for military purposes and to smuggle combat materials, urging residents to leave the area.
A Lebanese security source at Masnaa told Agence France-Presse that an evacuation of the crossing was already under way following the Israeli threat.
On the Syrian side of the border, facilities were largely deserted at dawn, according to an AFP correspondent, who reported seeing only a handful of guards.
Mazen Alloush, director of public relations at Syria’s General Authority for Land and Sea Borders, said the crossing—known in Syria as Jdeidet Yabous—was used “exclusively for civilian purposes” and not for military activity.
“In light of circulating warnings and out of concern for travellers’ safety, traffic through the crossing will be temporarily suspended until potential risks subside,” he added.
Vital trade route
The Masnaa crossing is a critical route for both countries and Lebanon’s main land gateway to the wider region. While Lebanon and Syria are connected by six official crossings, dozens of informal routes and smuggling paths also exist.
Israel previously struck Masnaa in 2024 during its earlier conflict with Hezbollah, disrupting cross-border movement for weeks before Lebanese and Syrian authorities completed repairs.
Fresh Israeli air strikes hit Lebanon on Saturday, resulting in further casualties.
Lebanon was drawn into the conflict on 2 March when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in response to a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran that killed Ali Khamenei.
Since then, Israel has carried out sustained air strikes across Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah positions, alongside limited ground operations.
According to Lebanese authorities, at least 1,422 people have been killed, including 126 children, while more than one million have been displaced.
The Israeli military has reported the loss of 11 soldiers. Three Indonesian peacekeepers serving with the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were killed in late March.
On Saturday evening, the Israeli military also ordered residents of Kfar Hatta, a town around 40 kilometres from the border in southern Lebanon, to evacuate ahead of expected strikes.
Videos circulating online showed people fleeing on foot, with heavy traffic jams forming as residents attempted to leave the area.