Israeli strikes disrupt access to Masnaa border crossing, impede Lebanese refugees' journey to Syria

Israeli strikes have severed roads near the Masnaa border crossing in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley, complicating the journey of Lebanese people seeking refuge in Syria.

As tensions persist between Israel and Hezbollah, the conflict has forced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese civilians to escape the bombardments and exit the country through the Masnaa border crossing, a vital passage to Syria, which shares a land border with Lebanon alongside Israel.

Over the past month, the main road to the Masnaa border crossing has been bombed twice, creating a large crater less than three kilometers from the Syrian border.

On Thursday, the displaced people were seen driving close by and carrying their belongings across the crater before they find a way to reach the border.

"I am from Tyre in southern Lebanon. We are leaving to escape Israeli bombings. We are just civilians, having lost everything, with no political affiliations," said a displaced Lebanese on his way to Syria.

According to Lebanon's General Security Directorate, from Sept 23 to Nov 5, over 550,000 Lebanese people left the country to enter Syria or use it as a transit point to seek refuge in other countries.

Israeli strikes disrupt access to Masnaa border crossing, impede Lebanese refugees' journey to Syria

Israeli strikes disrupt access to Masnaa border crossing, impede Lebanese refugees' journey to Syria

Israeli strikes disrupt access to Masnaa border crossing, impede Lebanese refugees' journey to Syria

Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun on Thursday said that China is willing to work with the armed forces of regional countries to share the responsibility of maintaining security in the Gulf of Guinea.

Dong made the remarks while meeting with heads of delegations attending the second edition of the seminar on security situation in the Gulf of Guinea in Shanghai.

Hosted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy, the seminar brought together maritime armed force leaders and defense attaches from 18 nations, including Cameroon, the Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria.

During the meeting, Dong also called for efforts to promote systematic maritime cooperation, carry forward the traditional friendship with regional countries, and contribute to the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

The heads of delegations attending the meeting expressed the willingness to enhance mutual trust and deepen cooperation with China to jointly build a secure, stable, and prosperous Gulf of Guinea.

China's defense minister stresses shared responsibility for maintaining security in Gulf of Guinea