BICOM

Hezbollah is reportedly fighting alongside the Syrian army loyal to President Assad in attempt to wrest control of Yabroud, an opposition stronghold near the Syria-Lebanon border.

According to Reuters, at least 13 air strikes on the town took place yesterday and Hezbollah and Assad forces clashed with opposition fighters on the edge of Yabroud. The Telegraph quotes Hezbollah sources saying that the assault on Yabroud is the start of the “Battle for Qalamoun,” the mountainous area along the Syria-Lebanon border which has been a conduit for weapons and fighters on both sides of the Syrian conflict.

Hezbollah, which is largely bankrolled and trained by the Shi’ite Iranian regime, has fought side by side with Syrian government troops loyal to Assad previously, most notably recapturing the crucial town of Qusair last year. There is significant disquiet among Lebanon’s Sunni population over Hezbollah’s close support for the Assad regime and as a result, several deadly car bombs have been detonated in Hezbollah strongholds in Beirut in recent months. In November a massive bomb attack struck the Iranian Embassy in Beirut, leaving at least 23 people dead, the perpetrators specifying that it was meant to send a message to Hezbollah.

The latest violence in Yabroud comes as Assad regime representatives and opposition officials have met in Geneva for peace talks. However, the negotiations have so far produced very few concrete results apart from a limited ceasefire in Homs to facilitate the evacuation of some civilians. The BBC says the assault on Yabroud may be an attempt by Assad to gain a military upper hand as a strong negotiating position.

Meanwhile, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Ron Prosor yesterday criticised the UN Security Council for not doing enough to relieve the suffering in Syria. He said, “Each and every country must do its part …  Little more than a trickle of assistance is reaching those in need.”