Syria arrests Hezbollah-linked cell and seizes rocket launchers

Syrian authorities apprehended a trio of individuals believed to be affiliated with Hezbollah and confiscated their rocket launchers in the southern Yarmouk river basin on Tuesday. This action came after a series of Israeli incursions into southern Syria and regions west of Damascus this year, following the ousting of the Assad regime by militant forces in December 2024.

The Syrian state news agency, Sana, reported that the three men were allegedly involved in a Hezbollah "sabotage plot" within the Yarmouk river basin. The launchers were fully dismantled following the arrest. The General Intelligence Directorate highlighted the operation as a proactive measure intended to thwart the cell's plans for carrying out attacks.

The identities of the three men were not disclosed, though their initials were provided. The area has been utilized by Hezbollah and other Iran-backed factions as a launchpad for rockets targeting Israeli forces in the Golan Heights since the 2023 Gaza war. However, following Israel's intensified attacks in Lebanon and Syria, Hezbollah withdrew its forces from Syria by the end of 2024.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz recently stated that Israeli forces were conducting "daily activities" in the region to counter threats, eliminate remnants of the previous regime, and prevent the consolidation of the new regime, thereby safeguarding local communities and the border. The United States, which supports Syria's current leadership, has facilitated several meetings between Israeli and Syrian officials to negotiate a peace deal, including discussions on ceasing Israeli attacks on Syria and the return of Israeli forces to a 1974 armistice line near the Golan Heights.