Panic in Hezbollah: Is the New Syrian Army on Its Way to Invade Lebanon?

Reports in Lebanon indicate growing concern in Hezbollah over a possible Syrian invasion through the eastern border. The organization has reinforced its presence in the Bekaa and Hermel, recruited new fighters, and raised alert levels. Among the Shia public, there is an erosion of trust in the organization's ability to protect them.

Reports in Lebanon, published in the newspaper Nidaa al-Watan, point to growing concern in Hezbollah over a possible invasion by the new Syrian army through the eastern border. According to the report, deep worry prevails in the Bekaa and Hermel areas, and residents speak of the possibility of Syrian forces entering amid internal circulars distributed by Hezbollah calling for vigilance. The organization has significantly reinforced its presence in border areas, recruited and trained new fighters, many of them Syrian Shia who fled after the fall of the Assad regime. Also reported are ongoing smuggling operations by elements affiliated with Hezbollah across the eastern border in the areas of Arsal, Nahleh, and Hermel, in large buses under heavy security. What stands out particularly is the intensity of anxiety among parts of the Shia community in Lebanon, reflecting an unprecedented erosion of trust in the organization's ability to protect them. This is despite reassuring messages from Damascus that Syria respects Lebanon's sovereignty.