(MENAFN) The Lebanese military on Sunday blocked an attempted cross-border infiltration by armed individuals entering from Syria, according to a local news agency.

The confrontation occurred late Sunday morning near the eastern villages of Kfar Zabad and Qousaya in the Baalbek region. The gunmen withdrew back into Syrian territory after Lebanese troops engaged them, the news agency reported. In response, the army has bolstered its deployments along the border to prevent any repeat incursions.

In a separate announcement, the army refuted media claims alleging that its air force had breached Syrian airspace to track the movements of armed factions. It emphasized that its forces are actively monitoring the border in coordination with Syrian counterparts and called on media outlets to reference only official communications.

In a related security operation, the army raided unauthorized fuel stations in Masharii al-Qaa, also in Baalbek. During the crackdown, troops arrested three individuals and confiscated smuggling equipment, along with large volumes of gasoline and diesel.

Lebanon has already intensified its border security across the 375-kilometer frontier with Syria, deploying ground and aerial units to surveil remote mountain crossings and unregulated smuggling routes.

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