Damascus says it foiled attack plot linked to Hezbollah; group denies

BEIRUT — Syria’s Interior Ministry said Saturday it had foiled a plot against a religious figure near a church in the outskirts of Damascus, which it described as “targeting the security of the capital.”

The ministry said its counterterrorism directorate, in coordination with internal security forces around Damascus, tracked suspicious movements that led to the operation. It said a woman was caught placing an explosive device near the home of a religious figure in the Bab Touma district, close to a Maronite church. The device was defused before it detonated and no casualties were reported.

According to the ministry, five people were arrested and preliminary investigations indicated the cell was linked to Hezbollah. It added that the suspects had received “specialized military training abroad,” including in explosives handling.

Hezbollah strongly denied the allegations, calling them “false and fabricated,” and said it has “no activity, no link and no presence in Syria.” It urged Syrian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation before making accusations, and warned against attempts by intelligence services to stoke tensions between Lebanon and Syria.

The group also reaffirmed its commitment to Syria’s stability and security.

Hezbollah played a major role in Syria’s civil war alongside former president Bashar al-Assad’s forces, during which Iran-backed networks were established across the border region. The new Syrian authorities, who took power after Assad’s ouster in late 2024, have since rejected Iranian influence and adopted a more hostile stance toward the group.

In February, at a time when relations between the Syrian government and Hezbollah appeared to ease, Damascus accused the latter of involvement in a "terrorist action cell" allegedly responsible for attacks in Mazzeh.

Last month, Syria also accused Hezbollah of firing artillery shells from Lebanon into its territory following the resumption of fighting between Hezbollah and Israel.

Damascus has since reinforced troops along its border with Lebanon, raising fears of rising tensions between Syrian forces and Hezbollah.