Hezbollah and the Syrian army clashed with Daesh (ISIS) Tuesday in northern Qalamoun and on the eastern outskirts of a Lebanese border town, killing the group's leader for the region, Al-Manar said.
The Hezbollah-run station said in a news flash that Abu Balqis al-Baghdadi, Daesh's "emir" for Qalamoun, was killed in shelling that targeted the area of Wadi Hmayed, on the outskirts of Lebanon's Arsal.
Further east, Hezbollah and the Syrian army captured fresh territory from Daesh outside a northern Qalamoun town.
Al-Manar said the allied forces took over the areas of Tallet Ras Al-Kosh and Qornat Ras Al-Sahbah on the outskirts of government-held Jarajeer, in an advance that left scores of militants either dead or wounded.
The station aired footage in the evening shot on the front line showing Hezbollah fighters taking the new hills. The videos showed the forces using heavy and light machine guns, sniper rifles and mortar shells.
The footage included shots taken overnight and at dawn Tuesday when the group launched its offensive against militants located on the two peaks.
Hezbollah also targeted Daesh positions on the outskirts of the Lebanese border town of Ras Baalbek, about 7 kilometers north of Arsal, using heavy artillery fire, Al-Manar reported.
The attack targeted an area identified as Al-Zuweiteya, the report said.
Last week, Hezbollah repelled a Daesh attack in northeast Lebanon, losing eight fighters and killing more than 50 militants, in the largest confrontation between the two groups since the Lebanese party joined the Syrian war three years ago.
Hezbollah and the Syrian army have been battling Nusra Front and Daesh militants in Syria's Qalamoun mountain range along Lebanon’s eastern borders for more than one month.
The allied forces have achieved major field victories, taking 64 percent of the Qalamoun hills in roughly five weeks, according to Al-Manar.
Daesh has been in control of most of Arsal’s northern outskirts since last year, while the Nusra Front has been in control of the eastern and southern outskirts.
At least 39 Hezbollah fighters and 244 militants have been killed since the launch of the Qalamoun offensive on May 4, according to a source close to Hezbollah.
