Hezbollah and the Syrian army thwarted an ISIS attack in the northern Qalamoun Monday, killing a number of militants, Al-Manar TV reported. The station said an ISIS unit was attempting to infiltrate Hezbollah posts on the outskirts of the Syrian village of Jarajeer but were detected, leading to clashes. ISIS ended up losing two vehicles and an unspecified number of militants in the fighting, according to the Hezbollah-run station. Syrian military helicopters were also involved in the clashes, the report added. Further toward the west, on the southern outskirts of the Lebanese border town of Arsal, Hezbollah fighters used a wire-guided missile to destroy a militant vehicle equipped with a 33 mm machine gun, Al-Manar also reported. All militants inside the vehicle were killed. Hezbollah and the Syrian army have been battling against militants in the Qalamoun region since May 4. Earlier this month, Hezbollah advanced into Arsal's outskirts from the east, tightening the noose around Nusra Front militants encamped in the area. North of Arsal, Hezbollah is engaged in fighting with ISIS over control of the outskirts of Ras Baalbek, a Lebanese Christian border town. After taking over the outskirts of the Syrian town of Flita, Hezbollah and the Syrian army launched an offensive to take the outskirts of Jarajeer, which is south of Flita and southeast of Arsal.
