Several extremist militants were killed or injured Sunday as the army opened artillery fire at their positions in the outskirts of the northeastern border town of Arsal, state-run National News Agency reported.

It said the shelling targeted militant gatherings and movements in Wadi al-Kheil near the al-Qarn Hill.

“The bombardment became much fiercer after the militants started moving in Wadi al-Kheil, Wadi al-Oueini and Tallat al-Furn, where large numbers of al-Nusra Front and Islamic State jihadists are positioned,” NNA added.

The army managed to destroy a convoy of military and construction vehicles that were operating in the region, killing and wounding several militants, the agency said.

The militants' dead and wounded were transferred to field hospitals in Wadi Hmeid and Wadi al-Kheil.

“The army is continuing its artillery bombardment and has brought reinforcements into the town” of Arsal, NNA added.

IS and Nusra militants are entrenched in the mountainous border area near Syria and have used the arid terrain to launch attacks on Lebanese security forces.

Earlier this year, five Lebanese soldiers died in clashes with around 200 gunmen who entered Lebanon from the Qalamun region of Syria.

Syria's civil war has regularly spilled over into Lebanon, with jihadists briefly overrunning the town of Arsal in August 2014 after gunbattles with the army.

The jihadists withdrew after a ceasefire, but took with them several dozen hostages from the army and police, four of whom have since been executed.

Y.R.