BREAKING NEWS

REPORT: Syrian army takes hill overlooking key Deraa road

BEIRUT - Lebanon's Hezbollah-run al-Manar television reported on Friday that the Syrian army had seized a hill overlooking the road connecting eastern and western parts of Deraa province, where it is engaged in a major offensive against rebels.

Capturing the hill means rebels could no longer safely use the road, which runs south of Deraa city in an area where their territory narrows to a thin strip running along the Jordanian border.