Report: Developments in Syria's al-Zabadani Have Nothing to Do with Lebanon

The army has the situation along the Lebanese-Syrian border under control, reassured a military source to the daily al-Mustaqbal on Sunday.

It told the daily: “The border is under control and the military is performing its duties to the fullest, leaving no room for the gunmen.”

“The developments in Syria's al-Zabadani have nothing to do with the Lebanese borders,” it added.

The army thwarted on Saturday the infiltration of armed groups on the outskirts of al-Qaa, Ras Baalbek, and Arsal.

It also arrested four gunmen in al-Labweh-Arsal on suspicion of their links to armed groups.

Syrian troops backed by members of Hizbullah began a major offensive Saturday under the cover of intense airstrikes to retake a rebel-held mountain resort while opposition fighters retaliated by shelling the capital Damascus.

Taking the rebel-held town of Zabadani would tighten Hizbullah's grip on Syrian territories bordering Lebanon and would strengthen the Syrian government's control over of the Beirut-Damascus highway.

Zabadani has been held by rebels since shortly after Syria's crisis began in March 2011. The conflict has killed more than 220,000 people and wounded at least a million, according to the United Nations.