On Sunday morning, the Syrian Al-Qaeda group “Jabhat Al-Nusra” attempted to breach Hezbollah’s frontline defenses for the second straight day, resulting in the Lebanese Resistance force fortifying their positions at Tal Al-Moussa in the Qalamoun Mountains; this news was reported to Al-Masdar along with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) taking control of the surrounding hills that overlook nearby Ras Al-Marra.
According to a military source, Jabhat Al-Nusra attacked the southeastern perimeter of Tal Al-Moussa, where they sought to infiltrate past Hezbollah’s defenses; however, this assault was repelled by the Lebanese Resistance force, as they countered with an attack of their own at Jaroud ‘Arsal, killing a confirmed 28 enemy combatants from Jabhat Al-Nusra before nightfall on Sunday.
Following Hezbollah’s success at Tal Al-Moussa, the Syrian Arab Army’s 128th and 20th Brigades from the 1st Armored Division – in coordination with the National Defense Forces (NDF) – stormed a number sites near the town of Ras Al-Marra, where they took complete control of Tal Thalajah and Tal Al-Minkel after engaging Jabhat Al-Nusra in a series of fierce firefights at these hills on the Lebanese border of the Qalamoun Mountains.
As a result of the SAA and Hezbollah’s recent success at the Qalamoun Mountains, Jabhat Al-Nusra has been forced to fortified their positions at Jubbah Heights in preparation for a large scale assault by the resistance forces; this attack on Jubbah Heights has yet to begin and it will likely not occur for a few days, as Hezbollah and the Syrian Armed Forces continue to surround this rugged area.
