The road is out of commission, effectively cutting off the country from aid supplies.

And it was reported today that 23 Syrian fruit farmers were killed while loading their lorry near the Lebanese-Syrian border on the northern tip of the eastern Bekaar valley.

The military action comes after a night of intense bombing of the capital and southern areas of the country.

The Israeli Defence Forces have already cut the only other road out of the country and destroyed the main airport.

John Damerell, who heads up the ACT Coordination Assessment Team said today: "It is extremely disappointing that this has happened and it has serious implications in the way the humanitarian community can do their work, since this route has been declared the ‘humanitarian corridor’ and until now has been the last remaining secure access into and out of the country. This happens at a time when the humanitarian situation worsens day by day."