French President Emmanuel Macron has stepped in to address the escalating border crisis between Lebanon and Syria, as intense clashes continue between newly formed Syrian security forces and Lebanese tribal groups operating on both sides of the border, Al-Jarida reported on Monday.

Amid warnings that the violence could spiral into a broader crisis with significant repercussions for both Beirut and Damascus, Macron offered France’s assistance in stabilizing the Lebanon-Syria border.

The Élysée confirmed that Macron, who has invited Syrian President Ahmed Sharaa to Paris, reaffirmed France’s support for Lebanon in separate calls with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. The conversations took place following the formation of Lebanon’s new government late Saturday night.

Beyond proposing help in containing the border conflict, Macron stressed the importance of upholding Lebanon’s ceasefire and urged Israel to "complete its withdrawal from the south."

Clashes between Lebanese tribal factions and Syrian security forces have resulted in multiple casualties, including Lebanese tribal fighters, Hezbollah militants, and Syrian personnel led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham. Fighting, which erupted last Thursday, intensified across several border points on Sunday. Artillery shelling from the Syrian town of Matreba, controlled by the Syrian government, struck Lebanon’s Bekaa region.

Reports indicate that "Lebanese tribal fighters are complying with the Lebanese army’s request to move away from the border." However, in Matreba, armed Lebanese factions engaged Syrian militants advancing toward fortified Hezbollah arms depots inside Syria.

Crackdown on Smuggling and Strategic Moves

The clashes coincide with Syrian authorities’ crackdown on Hezbollah-linked arms and drug smuggling operations. Damascus aims to secure the border and shut down illegal crossings with Lebanon while signaling to the international community its willingness to curb Hezbollah’s activities—an effort welcomed by the United States.

Sources in Beirut suggest that the Lebanese army’s intervention seeks to reclaim control over key smuggling routes following an agreement between the Lebanese and interim Syrian presidents to bolster border security.

Observers link the border violence to broader regional tensions, particularly Israel’s determination to prevent Hezbollah from rearming. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly vowed to "choke Hezbollah’s oxygen supply."

Israeli forces have ramped up airstrikes on Hezbollah arms convoys moving from Syria into Lebanon. Despite these efforts, reports suggest Hezbollah, coordinating with armed Syrian factions outside Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham’s control, has managed to smuggle some weaponry into Lebanon undetected.

Notably, the clashes between Lebanese tribal groups and Syrian forces coincided with Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley near the Syrian border. The Syrian security forces' latest operation appears aimed at disrupting Hezbollah’s smuggling routes and dismantling cross-border trafficking networks.

Separately, early Sunday, Israeli forces staged a surprise incursion into the Syrian village of Ain Al-Nouria, northeast of Khan Arnabeh in Quneitra province, demolishing a former regime military outpost.

Historical Border Disputes and Political Implications

The violence at the Lebanon-Syria border is rooted in long-standing territorial disputes. Since the onset of the Syrian civil war and Hezbollah’s intervention alongside the Assad regime, Lebanese factions have maintained a presence in Syrian villages in rural Homs and Al-Qusayr, with some still residing in towns like Hawik.

As tensions mount, Beirut and Damascus face growing pressure to prevent further escalation. There are renewed calls to formally demarcate the Lebanon-Syria border, ensure Hezbollah withdraws its forces into Lebanon, and halt all cross-border military operations.