The Army repelled an attempt by gunmen in Wadi Hmeid and al-Masyadeh to infiltrate near Arsal. Jihadists in the area are said to be seeking access to Arsal for food and fuel. Lebanese forces discovered a 50-kilogram bomb set to detonate near a military checkpoint outside Arsal and disabled it. A few days earlier, over 60 kilograms of explosives were discovered in Arsal. A Lebanese stoneworker kidnapped by the Islamic State was released; he said he was held in a farmhouse outside Arsal with at least eight kidnapped Lebanese soldiers as well as 50 or 60 other people. Saudi Arabia is reportedly stalling on a $3 billion arms deal for fear the weapons will fall into the hands of Hezbollah.
