Lebanese officials on Thursday dismissed concerns that Syrian military deployments along the eastern border are aimed at Lebanon, insisting the forces are there solely to protect Syrian territory.

“These troops are for Syria’s defense and are not preparing to attack Lebanon,” an official source told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, adding that the Lebanese and Syrian armies are coordinating closely.

Syrian authorities have also reassured Lebanon that the deployment covers both the Lebanese and Iraqi borders as part of precautionary security measures designed to control the frontier, strengthen security, and curb growing smuggling activity amid regional tensions.

The presence of Syrian forces sparked fears among Lebanese citizens, with social media users speculating that operations might be planned in eastern Lebanon. The Lebanese army quickly sought to calm concerns. In a statement issued Wednesday, it said its units had “reinforced positions along the eastern border in coordination with the relevant Syrian authorities.”

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam told the cabinet on Thursday that he had received a call from Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, followed by a visit from the Syrian chargé d’affaires. Both officials assured him that the deployment was “solely a measure to reinforce border control and maintain internal Syrian security,” similar to measures along the Syrian-Iraqi frontier.

Lebanese concerns are not new. Prior to the current deployment along the eastern mountain range, Syrian Public Security personnel conducted exercises in the Qalamoun area on the western side of the mountains, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

Syria’s Ministry of Defense subsequently confirmed that the troop movements along the Lebanese border are part of “organized operations within monitoring and control procedures, not an escalation or military action against any party.” The ministry added that the deployments are aimed at securing Syria’s borders and preventing illegal activities, and do not target any country or group.

Units from the Syrian Border Guard, backed by reconnaissance battalions, are monitoring the frontier, conducting ongoing patrols, and controlling movement at crossings and routes while observing any suspicious activity before it escalates, according to the ministry.

The deployment stretches from the eastern Lebanese mountains south of the Al-Masnaa crossing to projects in Al-Qaa in northeastern Lebanon. Reinforcements cover the entire border area opposite Lebanon, including the Arsal outskirts, Ras Baalbek, and Al-Qaa east of Hermel in northern Bekaa. Most troops reportedly include units from Idlib as well as Uyghur and Chechen fighters, which has fueled local concerns, sources said.

Despite the deployments, Lebanese authorities reiterated that the forces are defensive.

“These troops are there to protect Syria and are not preparing to attack Lebanon,” an official told Asharq Al-Awsat.