Hezbollah sends 'supervising forces' to Syria's Homs, report says
Hezbollah has sent "a small number of supervising forces" from Lebanon to Syria overnight to back the government's counteroffensive against a surprise advance by insurgents who were advancing Friday towards the strategic city of Homs, Reuters reported.
The British news agency said it has learned from three officials close to Tehran that "elite forces from Hezbollah had crossed over from Lebanon overnight and had taken up positions in Homs."
Syrian insurgents entered two central towns early Friday just north of the central city of Homs, bringing them closer to Syria's third largest city.
The break into Rastan and Talbiseh came a day after opposition gunmen captured the central city of Hama, after having seized the country's largest city, Aleppo, days ago.
Israel’s army meanwhile said it had conducted air strikes on Hezbollah "weapon-smuggling routes" on the Syria-Lebanon border, just over a week into a fragile ceasefire in Lebanon.
Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem said in a televised speech on Friday that Hezbollah "will stand alongside Syria to stop the aggression."
"The aggression against Syria is sponsored by America and Israel," Qassem said.
He did not specify whether Hezbollah would send fighters to Syria to join forces with the Syrian army.
| Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. | https://naharnet.com/stories/en/309626 |