Lebanon is stepping up efforts to tighten control over its border with Syria, where smuggling and infiltration by armed groups have triggered recurring security incidents and raised concerns about instability. 

According to Al-Modon, the Lebanese Army has shut down more than 154 illegal crossings in recent months, part of a broader push to clamp down on cross-border crime and reinforce state authority in a region historically marked by lawlessness.

Security officials say the closures, achieved by digging large trenches and erecting barriers to block vehicle access, have disrupted smuggling networks operating between the Bekaa Valley and northern Lebanon, where traffickers routinely move stolen vehicles, fuel, food, electronics, and other goods into Syria.

Smuggling remains heavily concentrated between Lebanon’s Bekaa and northern regions, where stolen cars are routinely transported into Syria. These vehicles are either sold on the black market or repurposed for other uses. Fuel smuggling is also prevalent, facilitated by complex systems of hoses connected to large solar-powered tanks.

"Most of these roads weren’t official to begin with. Any dirt path can become a smuggling route," a Lebanese security source told Al-Modon. "The real challenge is not just closing these crossings, but making sure they stay closed and holding traffickers accountable."

The Lebanese Army has also detained more than 11,000 Syrians who crossed into Lebanon illegally. The arrests, made between January and early May, occurred just weeks after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and reflect growing pressure on Lebanese authorities to manage the post-Assad security vacuum. Most of those arrested were handed over to General Security and deported back to Syria. 

More concerning for security officials, however, is the use of these crossings by individuals and armed groups to infiltrate Lebanese territory.

According to a Lebanese security source speaking on condition of anonymity, the army's Intelligence Directorate has focused on shutting down high-risk crossings, including the Maaraouiyeh and Naamat crossings. The crackdown also targeted motorcycle routes through villages, tanker truck trails, and even hidden trails traversing private properties. 

In the Bekaa, troops recently arrested a group accused of reopening previously sealed crossings—part of what officials say is a pattern of smugglers resuming their operations as soon as restrictions are lifted.

“Efforts are intensifying now to bring the entire border under control and put an end to illegal activity,” the security source said. “But we need tougher judicial follow-through. Too often, smugglers are released and go right back to business.”

Despite the crackdown, security incidents continue. A week ago, gunfire was reported from the Syrian side of the border toward Lebanese territory. Days later, two rival smuggling groups exchanged fire in a border clash. And just two days ago, a group crossed into Lebanon near the town of Hosh al-Sayyid, set fire to a home, and fled the scene. No arrests have been made.

While Lebanese and Syrian officials maintain what one source called a "positive" working relationship, the coordination remains incomplete.

"There’s ongoing communication between the two sides, but more work is needed to make it effective,” the source said. “Securing the border isn’t just a matter of digging trenches. It requires long-term cooperation and political will.”