Syria on Tuesday declared it had foiled a Hezbollah plot to assassinate members of President Ahmad Al Shara's government, as police seized weapons and explosives in raids across the country.
The alleged Hezbollah cell was in the “final stages of readiness” to carry out attacks, using an “arsenal of military hardware” including guns, bombs and grenade launchers, said Syria's Interior Ministry. Hezbollah has denied the claims.
The raids, in which at least 11 people were arrested, appeared to be some of the most extensive yet against Hezbollah since the fall from power of the group's former ally Bashar Al Assad in December 2024.
Under Mr Al Shara, the new Syrian state has sought to track down Assad loyalists, consolidate control of the country and persuade the US and others it can root out militant groups, making suspected Hezbollah operatives a frequent target.
The ministry said the latest raids, which took place in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Tartus and Latakia, had “delivered a pre-emptive and devastating blow” to the alleged plotters. It said the suspects had “infiltrated Syrian territory” after training in Lebanon.
Preliminary investigations “revealed that the cell was in the process of executing a sabotage agenda that included systematic assassinations targeting high-ranking government figures”, the ministry said.
One of the suspects was described as a Hezbollah operative directly responsible for assassinations, who was “supervising the planning and targeting” in Syria. A haul of weapons found included “explosive devices primed for detonation, RPG [rocket-propelled grenade] launchers complete with their charges, in addition to automatic rifles and quantities of hand grenades and assorted ammunition”, the ministry said.
From Lebanon, Hezbollah said it “has no presence within Syrian territory and conducts no activity there”, and suggested there were forces in the country trying to “ignite tension and discord” between the neighbouring nations.
It said Hezbollah “wishes only the best for Syria and its people … Hezbollah has never been a party that works to destabilise the security of any country or target the stability of its people”.
The raids are the latest in a series of operations against Hezbollah. In two such cases last month, Syria said it had foiled a plot to launch a surprise missile attack and arrested a woman planting an explosive near the home of a “religious figure” in Damascus. Israeli media said the intended target was a rabbi.
Hezbollah was close to the former Bashar Al Assad regime in Syria, fighting on his government's side during the civil war. Both were suspected of smuggling the illegal drug Captagon across Syria, Lebanon and the wider region to raise funds.
Mr Al Shara's government has made assurances to the US about its ability to stamp out terrorism in return for the lifting of Assad-era sanctions on Syria.
Attacks linked to ISIS in Damascus and elsewhere have cast doubt on Syria's antiterrorism crackdown. ISIS in February declared war on Mr Al Shara's government, calling it illegitimate because of its ties to Turkey and the US.
