Hezbollah fighters Wednesday seized 15 positions from militants on the outskirts of a volatile northeastern border town which has been the center of debate in recent weeks, a security source said.
The source told The Daily Star Hezbollah fighters captured positions on the northern and southern outskirts of Lebanon's Arsal along the porous mountain range on Syria's western border.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah last month vowed to oust jihadi militants from Arsal's outskirts if the Lebanese Army failed to take action, sparking a heated debate between political rivals.
The party's opponents in Lebanon have demanded that Hezbollah stay clear of Arsal and its outskirts, describing the region as a red line.
Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV said Wednesday Hezbollah fighters had seized control over Jabal al-Zaroub and Wadi Abu Daher, in addition to several other positions on Arsal's outskirts.
They also captured positions south of the border town, the report said.
The party then advanced toward the Al-Sharouq peaks, overlooking the areas of Al-Rahwe, Wadi al-Khayl and Wadi Atneen, also on Arsal's outskirts.
Those areas, Al-Manar said, were occupied by senior Nusra leaders.
No casualty toll was given for Wednesday's fighting.
Another security source in Baalbek said Wednesday’s push appeared to be an attempt by Hezbollah to regain control over hilltop positions that Syria-based jihadis had briefly taken over earlier this week.
The source told The Daily Star that Islamist militants have retreated to their hideouts on the outer edges of Arsal after engaging Hezbollah in a firefight Monday.
Hezbollah and the Syrian army launched an offensive early last month in Qalamoun, capturing dozens of militant bases and driving the jihadis north toward Arsal's outskirts.
Thousands of jihadi fighters affiliated with ISIS, the Nusra Front and other groups have been planted in Arsal's outskirts since last spring. In August, the militants briefly overran Arsal, sparking a five-day battle with the Army that left dozens dead.
More than 30 soldiers and policemen were taken hostage during the battle, of whom 25 remain in captivity on the town's outskirts.
