The naval forces rescued 98 Syrians and one Lebanese when they attempted to leave Lebanon illegally on board two boats towards the Cypriot islands, as both boats sank into the sea, the National News Agency on Saturday quoted the Lebanese army as saying.

The Elnashra news website reported all the rescued, including children, were Syrian nationals who were trying to escape through the sea in northern Lebanon towards Cyprus, Xinhua news agency reported.

Over the past few months, an increasing number of Syrian and Palestinian refugees, as well as Lebanese citizens, have been trying to leave Lebanon in search of better living conditions in other countries.

Lebanese security agencies have stepped up their efforts to combat illegal immigration.

Lebanon has been facing a severe financial crisis, plunging over 80 per cent of the population into poverty, which was further exacerbated by the Hezbollah-Israel conflict. The conflict, since its beginning a year ago, has displaced hundreds of thousands of people in Lebanon.