{
  "id": 17967399,
  "title": "Syria foils 'Hezbollah-linked plot' to blow up oil refinery",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/syria-foils-hezbollah-linked-plot-to-blow-up-oil-refinery-17967399",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-03T12:28:51.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National Business",
    "slug": "the-national-business",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/11/03/syria-foils-hezbollah-linked-plot-to-blow-up-oil-refinery/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Syria has thwarted a plot allegedly linked to Hezbollah, the Lebanese militant group, aimed at targeting the Homs oil refinery. On Tuesday, authorities apprehended two suspected Hezbollah members and confiscated explosive devices intended for use in the attack, according to Syria's Internal Security Forces. The operation was described as a \"pre-emptive\" effort, carried out through \"precise surveillance\" by intelligence agents. The identities of the suspects and their nationalities remain undisclosed. Hezbollah, once a staunch ally of the previous Assad administration, is now unwelcome in Syria under President Assad's current rule. The Homs refinery, situated in central Syria, is one of the nation's oldest oil terminals. The arrests coincide with a day after Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani met with a Lebanese delegation, including Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, in Damascus. The discussions focused on enhancing bilateral security cooperation, improving coordination, and tightening border control. Following Assad's rise to power in 2024, Syria's administration has been actively tracking down Assad supporters, consolidating its control across the country, and assuring the US and the international community that militant groups, including suspected Hezbollah operatives, are being eradicated. In late September, Syrian authorities had already apprehended three members of a Hezbollah-linked cell, dismantling rocket launchers in their possession, which were allegedly part of a \"sabotage plot\" targeting the Yarmouk River basin. The group's spokesman denied any connection to the detained individuals, urging Syrian authorities to remain vigilant against attempts to \"incite tension and divide\" between Lebanon and Syria.",
  "summary": "Syria says it has foiled a plot linked to Lebanese militant group Hezbollah to attack the Homs oil refinery. Authorities arrested two members of a suspected Hezbollah cell on Tuesday and seized explosive devices that were intended for use in an attack, Syria's Internal Security Forces said. The plot was foiled after “precise surveillance”, officials said, adding that the arrest of the suspects…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}