BEIRUT, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) — The Lebanese army has shelled the posts of the Islamic State group (IS) on the outskirts of the eastern border towns of al-Qaa and Ras Baalbek, the Army Orientation Directorate said in a statement on Thursday. “Army units have pounded with heavy artillery, missile launchers and helicopters, several posts of terrorist in the outskirts of Ras Baalbek and al-Qaa. Several injuries were reported among their ranks,” the Army’s communique said. The move comes as the army gears up for a long-awaited assault to dislodge hundreds of IS militants from a remote corner near Syrian border, seeking to end a years-long threat posed to neighboring towns and villages by the extremists. Car bombs made in the area and sent to other parts of the country, including Beirut’s southern suburbs, have killed scores of citizens. The planned operation follows a six-day military offensive by Hezbollah that forced al-Qaida-linked fighters to flee the area on the outskirts of the border town of Arsal, along with thousands of civilians.