Syria said Thursday it arrested a Hezbollah cell in the Damascus countryside that was planning attacks inside the country, in the latest sign of tensions between the new Syrian leadership and the Iran-backed Lebanese group.
Ahmad al-Dalati, head of internal security in rural Damascus, said special forces carried out the raid with the General Intelligence Directorate. He said the detainees were found with rocket launchers, 19 Grad rockets, anti-tank missiles, small arms and other ammunition. The suspects were transferred for interrogation, and the case was handed to judicial authorities.
Hezbollah denied any role, saying in a statement, “We have no presence or activity on Syrian soil. We seek to preserve its stability and the safety of its citizens.”
The arrests come as President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s government has pledged to crack down on what it calls threats to Syria’s security. Officials often describe targets of such operations as “remnants of the Assad regime,” a term used to portray former loyalists as destabilizing forces. Opposition groups, however, say those detained are often civilians with no links to the old regime.
In recent months, Syrian authorities have also moved against Hezbollah-linked cells and smuggling operations, part of what analysts see as an effort to curb the influence of the Iranian-led Shiite axis that was deeply entrenched in Syria under the previous government.
Two months ago, Syria said it arrested a man in Homs who was preparing a terror attack with explosives allegedly supplied by Hezbollah through illegal crossings. Hezbollah at the time issued a similar denial.
Iran’s role in supporting Hezbollah continues to draw scrutiny. The Saudi-owned daily Asharq al-Awsat reported last week that Tehran was seeking new routes to transfer money to the group. An Iraqi official told the paper he had received a request in late August from an Iranian source to ease movement at the al-Qaim crossing between Iraq and Syria. He concluded Iran relied on smuggling networks inside Syria to complete such transfers.
Syrian and Lebanese officials say smuggling has surged in recent months. The porous Syria-Lebanon border, stretching across remote mountain terrain, is difficult to secure, especially as Lebanon’s army struggles with limited resources.
Three months ago, Syria’s al-Watan daily reported that security forces in Qusayr, near Homs, foiled an attempt to smuggle anti-tank missiles and ammunition into Lebanon in a truck. The driver was arrested. The Lebanese army has also announced recent seizures of weapons shipments along the border.
Despite repeated denials by Hezbollah, officials and analysts say Syria remains a key arena in the struggle between the new Syrian leadership and the Iranian-backed network that once operated freely in the country.