Saudi Arabia hosts defense chiefs of Syria, Lebanon as border heats up: What to know
The Syrian and Lebanese defense ministers will meet soon as the border between the two countries remains volatile following clashes between Lebanese tribal members and Syrian security forces.
The defense ministers of Syria and Lebanon are expected to meet in the Saudi city of Jeddah on Thursday, after a meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Damascus was postponed.
The upcoming meeting in Jeddah has been reported by several media outlets. Neither side has confirmed the sit-down as of yet.
Lebanese Defense Minister Michel Menassa and his Syrian counterpart, Murhaf Abu Qasra, are expected to discuss the recent tensions on the Lebanese-Syrian border and smuggling operations between the two countries, the local L’Orient Today newspaper reported, citing a source at the Grand Serail.
Menassa was scheduled to travel to Syria on Wednesday for what would have been the first visit by a Lebanese minister since the government in Beirut was formed in February. According to the same source that spoke to L’Orient Today, the defense minister was to head a delegation that included security director Hassan Choucair and the head of military intelligence, Tony Kahwaji.
