Syria detains Hezbollah cell accused of Homs plot

Syria detained members of a Hezbollah cell accused of planning an attack on a refinery near Homs, Syria’s Internal Security Forces said on November 3. It is the latest bust in Syria involving people accused of being linked to Hezbollah or involved in smuggling arms to the group in Lebanon. The development took place as Syrian and Lebanese officials discussed border security and on the eve of Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa’s trip to Saudi Arabia on November 4 to discuss bilateral ties. Syria’s General Intelligence Service (GIS) and its Internal Security Forces (ISF) had “foiled a plot targeting the Homs refinery, arresting members of a cell affiliated with Hezbollah militia and seizing explosive devices prepared for the attack,” the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said on November 3. “The operation resulted in the arrest of the cell members involved and the seizure of explosives intended to target the refinery, according to the statement,” the report added. SANA added that this successful operation follows other recent security operations. It noted that on November 1, the GIS and ISF had arrested two members of an Islamic State cell. The security forces also apprehended an Islamic State cell in mid-October. The recent bust of a Hezbollah cell is the latest in a series of raids by Syrian forces on Hezbollah-linked smugglers over the last 22 months. Attempts to smuggle weapons were stopped in February 2025 and July 2026. Members of Hezbollah cells were also apprehended in March and September 2025. Syrian security forces also conducted raids in February and May 2026. The Syrian government’s raids illustrate that Damascus views Hezbollah as a threat and historic adversary. Hezbollah backed the former Assad regime and sent forces to fight in Syria during the civil war. The Assad regime’s fall in December 2024 cut off Hezbollah from its networks in Syria and smuggling routes from Iraq. Nevertheless, there have been tensions between Syria and Lebanon over the last two years due to the continued presence of Hezbollah in Lebanon. For instance, the White House suggested Syria could intervene in Lebanon in June. Hezbollah’s continued activities also have broader regional security implications. Both Syria and Israel view Hezbollah as a threat, as Israel is concerned the group could intervene in any new fighting with Iran. The recent bust of the cell linked to the Homs refinery threat was announced a day after Syrian officials met with a Lebanese delegation to discuss border security. “Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani met a high-level Lebanese delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri in Damascus to discuss border security and closer cooperation in education, labor and social affairs,” SANA reported on November 2. On November 4, Syrian President Ahmad al Sharaa went to Saudi Arabia, where he met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The two leaders discussed cooperation between Riyadh and Damascus. “They also exchanged views on regional and international developments and issues of common interest, emphasizing the importance of strengthening security and stability in the region,” SANA noted. The meeting in Saudi Arabia is part of Damascus’s ongoing focus on diplomatic outreach abroad. For instance, Syria’s Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra also met with Pakistani Military Attaché to Syria Irfan Maqbool Ahmad on November 3. Reporting from Israel, Seth J. Frantzman is an adjunct fellow at FDD and a contributor to FDD’s Long War Journal. He is the senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, and author of The October 7 War: Israel’s Battle for Security in Gaza (2024).