Syria arrests Hezbollah-linked cell near Golan, alleges planned rocket attacks
Three suspects detained in Daraa’s Yarmuk Basin as Damascus moves against Hezbollah networks and Israel warns of possible attacks ahead of elections
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) — Syrian authorities said Tuesday they had arrested three members of a Hezbollah-affiliated cell in the southern province of Daraa, accusing them of preparing rocket launch platforms for attacks near the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights.
The General Intelligence Directorate, working with Syria’s Internal Security Forces, carried out the operation in the Yarmuk Basin after monitoring what authorities described as an attempt to establish rocket launch sites, according to a statement reported by Syrian state media.
The authorities said the launchers were dismantled and that investigations were continuing before the suspects are referred to the judiciary.
The statement did not identify the intended targets or provide details on the number or type of rocket launchers allegedly being prepared. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah on the Syrian allegations.
The Yarmuk Basin lies in western Daraa near the disengagement line with Israel and borders both the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and Jordan. The area has previously been the scene of reported Israeli incursions and shelling.
The arrests came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had received indications that its enemies could attempt attacks ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections scheduled for Oct. 27. Netanyahu did not identify the groups or countries he was referring to.
“We have indications that ahead of the elections our enemies will try to attack us,” Netanyahu said in a video released after a visit to Tel Nof Air Force Base, warning Israel’s adversaries that its military could reach them “anywhere and at any time.”
His remarks prompted opposition leader Yair Lapid to seek an urgent security briefing. Lapid said he wanted clarification on whether the threats were genuine and how authorities planned to ensure the elections proceed without disruption.
Hezbollah networks in Syria
The arrests underscore the security challenges facing Syria’s new authorities, who took power after Bashar al-Assad was ousted in December 2024.
Hezbollah had been a major military ally of Assad during the Syrian civil war, while the new authorities in Damascus have taken steps to prevent the group from using Syrian territory for weapons transfers or attacks.
Syrian authorities have previously announced the dismantling of Hezbollah-linked cells and the seizure of weapons they said were being transported through Syria toward Lebanon.
In July, Damascus said it had intercepted a shipment of advanced weapons near the Iraqi border that preliminary investigations indicated was destined for Hezbollah.
The fall of Assad also disrupted a longstanding land corridor through Syria that Iran and its allies had used to move personnel and weapons toward Lebanon.
At the same time, Israel has continued military operations inside Syria since Assad’s ouster, including strikes and incursions near and beyond the UN-patrolled buffer zone separating Israeli and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights.
Israel has said it intends to maintain a security zone in southern Syria and has sought wider demilitarization in the area.
Israel captured most of the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and later annexed the territory. The annexation is not broadly recognized internationally; the United States recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan in 2019.
The latest developments come amid heightened regional tensions involving Israel, Iran and Hezbollah, with Israeli officials repeatedly warning of retaliation against any attacks and Syrian authorities seeking to assert greater control over armed networks operating on their territory.