Syrian authorities foil sabotage plot in Yarmouk Basin, blame Hezbollah cell

Syrian authorities said on Tuesday they had foiled what they described as a sabotage plot in the Yarmouk Basin area of western Daraa province, alleging that a cell affiliated with Lebanon’s Hezbollah was behind the plan. This marks the latest security operation announced by Damascus against cells and networks it claims are linked to the group inside Syria.

The Syrian Ministry of Interior said security forces carried out the operation in the Yarmouk Basin, located in the southwest of Daraa province. The official statement did not provide details on the number of cell members, the nature of the plot or intended targets, or any weapons and equipment seized during the operation.

The announcement comes amid a series of ongoing security operations that Syrian authorities say are aimed at groups connected to Hezbollah within the country. In May, the Ministry of Interior reported simultaneous operations in Damascus, Aleppo, Homs, Tartus, and Latakia, which it said resulted in dismantling an organized Hezbollah cell.

Earlier, Syrian authorities announced the capture of another cell they said was linked to Hezbollah, following a joint operation between internal security and the general intelligence service. The Ministry of Interior stated that investigations revealed the cell members had received training at camps inside Lebanon.

In July, Syrian authorities said they had thwarted an attempt to smuggle a shipment of weapons across the border, claiming the shipment was intended for Hezbollah. The Ministry of Interior explained at the time that the arms were being transported through Syrian territory to Lebanon.

The Yarmouk Basin is located in the far southwest of Syria, near the borders with Jordan and the Golan Heights, giving it particular security significance, according to the source material.