Syria says arrested Hezbollah-affiliated cell planning attacks

Syrian authorities said on Tuesday that they had arrested a Hezbollah-affiliated cell in the country’s south near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, accusing it of planning attacks on unspecified targets.

Syrian intelligence services and security forces “thwarted a sabotage plot in the Yarmouk basin in Daraa (province) and arrested a Hezbollah-affiliated cell composed of three individuals,” Syrian state television reported, quoting a statement from the internal security forces.

The Yarmouk basin area, where state media has previously reported Israeli incursions and shelling, borders the Israeli-annexed Syrian Golan Heights, as well as Jordan.

“The operation followed careful monitoring of an attempt by the cell to prepare rocket launch platforms with the aim of carrying out attacks to destabilize security and stability,” the statement said.

It did not specify the target of the alleged planned attacks and said investigations were ongoing.

Syrian authorities have previously said they dismantled several Hezbollah-linked cells preparing attacks in Syria, accusations the group has denied.

Authorities have also previously announced several seizures of weapons they said were bound for Hezbollah, which lost a key supply route from its backer Iran when Bashar al-Assad was toppled.