Syrian helicopters bombed on Wednesday the open area on the border between Lebanon and Syria near the eastern Lebanese town of Ersal.

Syrian helicopters bombed on Wednesday the open area on the border between Lebanon and Syria near the eastern Lebanese town of Ersal, Lebanese security sources told Al-Manar TV.

The Syrian army warplanes targeted opposition gunmen who have fled from Syrian territories of al-Qusayr border city towards Lebanon, the sources said.

Syrian Arab Army launched at Wednesday dawn a surprise operation in which it totally controlled the border strategic city of al-Qusayr, and called upon its displaced residents to return to their safe homes within days.

In a related context, Lebanese President Michel Sleiman "strongly condemned the Syrian shelling against Ersal," and called for "respect for Lebanese sovereignty and not to endanger the region and its population."

Sleiman didn’t touch on the Zionist violations of the international resolution 1701, or the provocations committed by Zionist army on the border with Lebanon on daily basis.

The Syrian Army launched on May 19 a large-scale operation in al-Qusayr border town with Lebanon to clear the area of terrorist gangs and liberate the citizens stuck there.

Syria was hit by a violent unrest since mid-March 2011, where the Syrian government accuses foreign actors of orchestrating the conflict, by supporting the militant opposition groups with arms and money.