Report: West Dismayed Hizbullah Not Army Staged Arsal Offensive

As Hizbullah’s offensive got underway in the outskirts of the border town of Arsal last month, Western nations offering aid to the Lebanese army, including the U.S. and the UK, “expressed dismay” that the operation was being carried out by Hizbullah and not the army, a media report published Sunday said.

“The representatives of these countries noted that their nations were assisting the army so that it assumes the mission, not Hizbullah,” al-Hayat newspaper quoted “well-informed political sources” as saying.

“The representatives of these nations were later told that the Lebanese army would fight the battle against the Islamic State group and that it was preparing to end it soon, which prompted the U.S. side to increase its assistance,” the sources added.

The army has intensified its shelling of the jihadist group’s posts in recent days amid reports that an army operation to oust IS from the border region has become imminent.

The military developments follow a Hizbullah offensive that ended the presence of the jihadist al-Nusra Front group in Arsal’s outskirts.

Nusra was al-Qaida’s Syria affiliate before announcing a break of ties and rebranding to Fateh al-Sham Front.