World Bulletin / News Desk 

The Syrian army and Lebanese Hezbollah entered the oppositions-held city of Zabadani in bid to recapture strategic city near Damascus, on the second day of a major offensive to capture the strategic border area that lies on the international highway that links the two countries.

The Lebanese group Hezbollah's television station al Manar said its members and the Syrian army had entered Jamaiyat district in the western part of the besieged city located nearly 45km northwest of Syrian capital Damascus.

The army, backed by Hezbollah, has long sought to wrest control of Zabadani, near the Lebanese border, from the oppositions who have held it since 2012, a year after the start of the Syrian civil war.