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

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

2024-11-08 10:31 Last Updated At：16:27

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.

China welcomes int'l investors to share opportunities of its high-quality development: senior official

China welcomes investors from all over the world to invest and do business in the country and share opportunities for high-quality development during its 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), senior Chinese official He Lifeng said on Thursday.

He, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Commission for Financial and Economic Affairs, made the remarks during a meeting with Ray Dalio, founder of hedge fund Bridgewater Associates, in Beijing.

He said China's economy has made a strong start this year, adding that the country will continue to expand high-level opening-up during the new five-year plan period.

Noting a stable and healthy China-U.S. economic and trade relationship is in the fundamental interests of both nations, He expressed hope that the U.S. business community will continue to play an active role as defenders and promoters of China-U.S. economic and trade ties.

Dalio said China's economy has shown remarkable resilience and stability amid the current international environment, expressing optimism over its development prospects.