Syria says it has foiled a plot linked to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to attack the Homs oil refinery.
Authorities arrested two members of a suspected Hezbollah cell on Tuesday and seized explosive devices that were intended for use in an attack, Syria's Internal Security Forces said.
The plot was foiled after “precise surveillance”, officials said, adding that the arrest of the suspects was part of a “pre-emptive” operation carried out by intelligence agents.
The two suspects were not identified and their nationalities were not disclosed. Hezbollah was a major ally of the former government under Bashar Al Assad, but is no longer welcome in Syria under President Ahmad Al Shara's rule.
The Homs refinery in central Syria is one of the country's oldest oil terminals.
The arrests came a day after Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani met a Lebanese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri in Damascus to discuss border security.
They spoke about strengthening ties between the countries, improving security co-ordination and tightening border control, Syria's Foreign Ministry said.
Since coming to power in 2024, Syria's government has sought to track down Assad loyalists, consolidate control of the country and persuade the US and the international community that it can root out militant groups, making suspected Hezbollah operatives a frequent target.
In late September, officers arrested three members of a cell linked to Hezbollah and dismantled rocket launchers in their possession.
The three men had been involved in a Hezbollah “sabotage plot” in the Yarmouk River basin, news agency Sana reported. It said the launchers had been “completely dismantled”.
Hezbollah said in a statement that it “categorically denies” any link to those detained. It called on Syrian authorities to be alert to attempts to “stir up tension and sow discord” between Lebanon and Syria.
