Report: Contacts Underway for 'International Air Cover' for Military
Contacts with US and Russian sides, with regard to the situation on the Lebanese border, are underway to pave the way for the “international coalition to provide an air cover for the Lebanese army's upcoming battle against the Islamic State group” on the outskirts of the border towns of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Friday.
“Contacts with the Russians and Americans, with regard to the situation on the Lebanese border, are underway in a bid to make Moscow pressure its allies in Syria and Iran and make the Syrian regime and Hizbullah accept that the international coalition provides an air coverage for the Lebanese army's battle against the IS,” reported the daily.
“This explains the delay in the army's operation,” added the daily, “however, an approval has not been confirmed yet.”
Meanwhile, reports that some US special forces are already in Lebanon to assist the army in its mission, according to the daily.
A senior military source who spoke on condition of anonymity said the reports were “inaccurate,” adding that “US elements in Lebanon are not combat teams but training and follow-up teams.”
The army is reportedly preparing an operation aimed at eradicating IS militants from the outskirts of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek.
On Thursday, the army fired artillery rounds at Islamic State group posts in the outskirts of the eastern border towns of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek, inflicting casualties and destroying a number of sites, state-run National News Agency reported.
The shelling continued for several hours throughout Thursday.
Army units meanwhile continued their deployment in the outskirts of the nearby border town of Arsal, seizing control of posts abandoned by the jihadist al-Nusra Front group.
Al-Nusra was ousted from the region in a Hizbullah offensive that ended with an evacuation deal.
04 August 2017, 09:41
210
“however, an approval from Damascus and Hizbullah has not been confirmed yet.”
The Lebanese army needs Hizbullah's approval in order to get military assistance from whoever it sees fit.
04 August 2017, 16:05
15
Hizb will do everything it can to hurt the Lebanese army and keeping it week as no respectable country will accept a militia funded and armed by brutal nations unless given no choice. Hizb long standing strategy is to backstab the army and instigate a confrontation between Israel and the Lebanese army just like in 2006... the more death the more destruction the better Hizb aim is served... all using Aoun as a cover-up while Hizb leads Lebanon to isolation and economic ruin, gradually swallows the country and its institutions, and sacrifice our freedom and democracy to the benefit of the Iranian's Bazij and their regional ambitions. Does anyone doubt that if Imam Saddr was alive he would have been the greatest supporter of the Iranian Green Revolution. Shame on fake Berri for not standing up to Imam Saddr legacy but being subservient to Hizb North-Korean-style dictators. Wake Up!
04 August 2017, 12:27
17
I have the utmost respect for Mr. Mega Habib because he knows who to ask.
04 August 2017, 13:03
16
"an approval from Damascus and Hizbullah has not been confirmed yet.”
The Army working perfectly for the resistance.
04 August 2017, 19:04
15
but this should be a much easier battle than the one hezbollah conducted in Arsal and led to the safe exit of Nusra, its prisoners, along with abu malek taleh.
