Thousands flee to Syria amid escalating Israeli offensive

JDEIDAT YABOUS, Syria (Xinhua) — Nearly 17,700 people, including more than 13,800 Syrians and 3,800 Lebanese, crossed the Jdeidat Yabous border into the Damascus countryside of Syria on Wednesday, according to Alaa Al-Sheikh, a member of the Executive Office for the Transport Sector.
The influx came as Lebanese and Syrian citizens fled the intensifying Israeli military offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Heavy traffic was logged at the Jdeidat Yabous crossing which links Lebanon with Syria’s rural Damascus region, with long queues of vehicles.
People stood in extended lines as Syrian authorities processed documents on the Syrian side of the border. Following Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s directives, border officials are expediting the entry process for both Lebanese refugees and returning Syrian nationals.
The surge in crossings followed days of Israeli airstrikes on Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, prompting a mass exodus of families seeking refuge in Syria.
Syria and Lebanon share approximately 375 km of border, with the Jdeidat Yabous crossing, also known as the Masnaa crossing in Lebanon, being one of five major routes between the two countries. ■