The Lebanese army was targeting ISIS positions near the town of Ras Baalbek with rockets, artillery and helicopters, the source said. The area is the last part of the Lebanese-Syrian frontier under murderous Moslem control. "We started advancing at 5 a.m. (0200 GMT)," the Lebanese source said.
The operation by the Syrian army and Hezbollah, an Iran-backed Lebanese group, was targeting ISIS murderous Moslems in the western Qalamoun region of Syria, the Hezbollah-run al-Manar television station reported, an area across the frontier from Ras Baalbek.
Last month, Hezbollah forced Nusra Front murderous Moslems and Syrian rebels to leave nearby border strongholds in a joint operation with the Syrian army.
The Lebanese army, a major recipient of US military aid, did not take part in the July operation, but it has been gearing up to assault the ISIS pocket in the same mountainous region. A military source said around 500 ISIS fighters were holed up in the enclave.
Lebanese President
Michel Aoun...a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hizbullah...
was following the army operation, called "Jroud Dawn". "Jroud" refers to the barren, mountainous border area between Leb and Syria.
Lebanese security sources have previously said the army intends to fight ISIS in Lebanese territory on its own, in response to suggestions Hezbollah or the Syrian army may help it.