Internal Security Forces in Tartous seize a shipment of weapons and ammunition destined for Lebanon, Aug. 8, 2026. (Credit: Syrian Interior Ministry sent to SANA)
Syrian security forces thwarted an attempt to smuggle a shipment of weapons and ammunition from Tartous province into Lebanon, SANA reported Saturday, citing the Interior Ministry.
The Internal Security Forces, working with the General Intelligence Service, intercepted the shipment during a joint operation, according to the report.
The seized cargo contained automatic rifles, RPG rounds, weapons magazines and various types of ammunition that had been prepared for transport into Lebanon, SANA reported.
The Interior Ministry said the operation was part of broader efforts to curb weapons smuggling along Syria’s borders.
In July, the ministry said security units had stopped another weapons shipment from being smuggled across the Syrian-Iraqi border before it entered Syrian territory.
At the time, the ministry said securing the country’s borders and protecting national sovereignty were key priorities, warning that Syria would not allow its territory to be used for weapons smuggling or activities that threaten the security of Syria or neighboring countries.
Syria’s new authorities have been working to tighten security and assert control across the country following more than a decade of war.
Syrian rebels seized Damascus on Dec. 8, 2024, bringing an end to Bashar al-Assad’s rule. Assad had governed Syria since 2000, following his father Hafez al-Assad, who ruled the country from 1971 until 2000.
