The Syrian Defence Ministry told Syrian state media late on Sunday that they had taken measures to counter a "dangerous escalation" by Hezbollah.
The ministry later confirmed to Syrian state media that three Syrian soldiers had been ambushed, kidnapped, and taken into Lebanon, where they were later murdered.
The ministry directly blamed Hezbollah for the incident.
Following the announcement, Lebanese media reported that the Syrian army had begun shelling Lebanon's Bekaa Valley, a Hezbollah stronghold.
PEOPLE GATHER near the burial site of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, on the outskirts of Beirut, earlier this week. In the absence of a figure with his abilities, Hezbollah needs Nasrallah’s legacy to advance its goals and offset the blows it suffered, says the writer. (credit: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY/REUTERS)
PEOPLE GATHER near the burial site of former Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, on the outskirts of Beirut, earlier this week. In the absence of a figure with his abilities, Hezbollah needs Nasrallah’s legacy to advance its goals and offset the blows it suffered, says the writer. (credit: MOHAMED ABD EL GHANY/REUTERS)
During the shelling, Hezbollah denied any responsibility for the kidnapping and murder of the soldiers, telling pro-Hezbollah media, "We reiterate what we have previously announced repeatedly: Hezbollah has no connection to any events taking place within Syrian territory."
Hezbollah-aligned media reported that one person had been killed in the clashes.
Lebanese media reported following the clashes that "The Lebanese army handed over, via the Lebanese Red Cross, the bodies of three Syrian fighters at a border crossing with Syria."
Assad regime collapse fallout
Many analysts pointed to Israel's victory over Hezbollah during the 2024 invasion of Lebanon as a key factor in the eventual collapse of the Assad regime in Syria.
Hezbollah was a key pillar of the Assad regime, and Syrian interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa al-Julani has vowed to prevent the return of both Iranian and Hezbollah influence.
The Syrian army has clashed with Hezbollah several times since the overthrow of the Assad regime in December.
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Most of the fighting has been concentrated near the border town of Al Qusayr, which served as a key smuggling point for Iranian arms shipments to Hezbollah.