Syria—Al Arabiya reports that at least 40 Hezbollah fighters have been reportedly killed in the Syrian town of Qusayr last week following clashes between Syrian rebels and regime forces. Sources told the paper that tens of Hezbollah members were wounded and taken to hospitals in Beirut, Lebanon. The assault on Qusayr was part of Assad’s forces attempt to strengthen their grip on Damascus and secure links between the capital and the government strongholds on the coast via the contested central city of Homs. It was also reported that Fady al-Jazza, a high ranking Hezbollah officer, was among those killed. He had been imprisoned in Israel until he returned to Lebanon in a prisoner-exchange deal. Hezbollah denies taking part in Syria’s two-year conflict, but has held regular funerals of Hezbollah fighters, who, they died while carrying out “jihadi duties.”