BICOM

Syrian President Assad’s forces pounded the city of Homs  both from the air and with artillery, while Hezbollah forces fought on the ground to help Assad regain control of the city over the weekend.

Reuters reports that opposition groups had repelled a ground offensive in Homs and five outlying areas on Saturday, spearheaded by Assad’s troops and Hezbollah. Syrian warplanes shelled the old quarter of Homs yesterday which resulted in civilian casualties according to reports. However, Reuters relays claims that Assad’s forces suffered the loss of twenty five men, including four Hezbollah fighters over the weekend. Hezbollah recently played a major role in Assad’s capture of the town of Qusair.

Homs is Syria’s third largest city and is considered a stronghold for opposition groups seeking the fall of Assad. It is also an important link between Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based and the Syrian coastal areas populated by Assad’s Alawite community.

Towards the end of last week, IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz indicated that Hezbollah is at its’ weakest point for some time. Speaking at the graduation ceremony for the Israel Air Force’s pilot course, Gantz said that “the flames are creeping up on [Hezbollah head Hassan] Nasrallah,” who is facing criticism within Lebanon for entangling the country in Syria’s civil war.

However, YNet reports this morning that Hezbollah has become more brazen in its activity on Israel’s northern border. In violation of the United Nations’ resolutions which brought an end to the 2006 Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah fighters are reportedly patrolling southern Lebanon armed and uniformed. The report suggests that they are meticulously documenting IDF movements and using sophisticated night vision equipment in their efforts. An unnamed senior ranking officer in the IDF Northern Command is quoted saying that Hezbollah is fortifying its’ positions in southern Lebanon, “reconstructing firing positions and infrastructure.”