Army Shelling Inflicts Direct Damages to IS Posts in Ras Baalbek, Qaa

The Lebanese army has shelled the posts of the Islamic State group on the outskirts of the eastern border towns of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek, the Army Command-Orientation Directorate said in statement on Thursday.

“Army units have pounded with heavy artillery, missile launchers and helicopters, several posts of terrorist in the outskirts of Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa. Several injuries were reported among their ranks,” the Army's communique said.

The move comes as the army gears up for a long-awaited assault to dislodge hundreds of Islamic State militants from a remote corner near Syrian border, seeking to end a years-long threat posed to neighboring towns and villages by the extremists.

The years-long presence of extremists in the border area has brought suffering to neighboring towns and villages, from shelling, to kidnappings of villagers for ransom.

Car bombs made in the area and sent to other parts of the country, including Beirut's southern suburbs, have killed scores of citizens.

The planned operation follows a six-day military offensive by Hizbullah that forced al-Qaida-linked fighters to flee the area on the outskirts of the border town of Arsal, along with thousands of civilians.