Lebanese Army Prepares to Launch Major Push to Squeeze Daesh From Country

The Lebanese army is preparing to take decisive steps to clear the area near the border with Syria from Daesh terrorists who pose threat to nearby towns and cities.

BEIRUT (Sputnik) — Lebanon's leadership approved recommendations on the upcoming military operation to liberate areas bordering Syria from militants of the Daesh terrorist group (banned in Russia), the country's Higher Defense Council said in a statement Tuesday.

"Recommendations were approved for the upcoming military operations by the Lebanese army in Ras Baalbek and Al Qaa against the IS [Daesh] group," the statement said.

According to the statement, the Lebanese government assumes the responsibility for liberating Lebanon from the threat of terrorism.

The statement of the Lebanese Higher Defense Council was released after an urgent meeting called by Lebanese President Michel Aoun with the participation of Prime Minister Saad Hariri.

The Lebanese-Syrian border is a tense region as it has been used for arms smuggling and the transit of new terrorist recruits to Syria.

Since the beginning of Syrian civil war in 2011, Lebanese authorities have faced a number of security challenges. Lebanese army and Shia militia Hezbollah have been on high alert amid the conflict and have been preventing attempts of terrorists to penetrate Lebanon's territory.

On July 18, the Lebanese prime minister announced that the Lebanese armed forces would be dispatched to the Lebanese-Syrian border in order to fight against Daesh. Hariri explained this decision by increased cases of Daesh attacks on Lebanese security forces.