18/06/2021

Israeli tanks target Syrian recon point along Israeli-Syrian border frequented by leaders of Lebanese Hezbollah

TEL AVIV — On Thursday, Israeli artillery targeted a military reconnaissance point in the town of Qahtania in the southern Syrian city of Quneitra belonging to the Syrian regime’s 90th Brigade of 1st Corps. The point is frequented by leaders of Lebanese Hezbollah, according to Syrian and Israeli sources.

According to Syrian sources, the location is 150 meters from the border with Israel and manned by 12 people whose mission is to monitor movement along the border. In recent months, Hezbollah officials have visited this point several times.

The point was reportedly targeted by Israeli Merkava tanks, destroying the site without causing any casualties.

This comes as U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken discussed in a telephone conversation with his Israeli counterpart, Yair Lapid, the need to improve relations between Israelis and Palestinians in practical ways.

In a statement issued following the phone call, the U.S State Department said they exchanged views on opportunities to deepen normalization efforts, as well as on security issues in the region, including confronting Iran.