Syrian state media claims security forces thwarted a Hezbollah missile-launching operation, an accusation the Lebanese group strongly denies as fabricated.
DAMASCUS: Syrian security forces have reportedly thwarted a missile-launching operation by the Iran-backed Lebanese group Hezbollah from its territory, according to state media.
The official SANA news agency, quoting an interior ministry source, said forces “thwarted a sabotage plot orchestrated by a cell linked to the Hezbollah terrorist militia” which intended to launch missiles across the border to destabilise the country.
This accusation marks a significant escalation in tensions between Damascus and the group that once fought alongside Syrian government forces during the country’s civil war.
The Iran-backed movement Hezbollah issued a strong denial of the ministry’s claims on Sunday, stating they were “false and fabricated”.
Hezbollah asserted it has “no activity, no ties and no relationship with any party in Syria, and has no presence on Syrian soil”.
The group called on Syrian authorities “to conduct a thorough investigation before making accusations without evidence”, blaming the incident on foreign intelligence services seeking to inflame tensions.
Syrian authorities have grown increasingly hostile to Hezbollah despite the group’s key role in fighting for now-ousted leader Bashar al-Assad during the conflict that ended in 2024.
Last week, Damascus also accused Hezbollah of being linked to a cell that attempted to plant an explosive device in front of a house belonging to a religious figure in the capital’s Bab Touma area.
The alleged plot comes after Hezbollah was engaged in cross-border hostilities with Israel from March 2 until a 10-day ceasefire took effect on April 17.
Under the former Assad government, Syria was a crucial part of Iran’s “axis of resistance” and facilitated the transfer of weapons and money from Iran to Hezbollah.
Syria’s current Islamist authorities, however, have rejected Iranian influence since taking power, fundamentally altering the regional dynamic.
