Syrian security forces have arrested two suspected members of a Hezbollah-linked cell accused of plotting to bomb the Homs oil refinery, one of Syria’s only two oil refineries and a strategically important component of the country’s energy infrastructure. According to Syrian state media, intelligence and internal security personnel uncovered the alleged plot and seized explosive devices intended for the attack. Authorities said the operation prevented a potentially serious strike against a facility vital to Syria’s domestic fuel supply.
1+The allegations come amid deteriorating relations between Syria’s new government and Iran-backed Hezbollah, which fought alongside former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces during the country’s civil war. Assad’s overthrow in December 2024 significantly weakened Hezbollah’s longstanding influence in Syria and disrupted a key corridor historically used to transport Iranian weapons and supplies to the terrorist organization in Lebanon.
1+The alleged attack also highlights the growing struggle for influence in post-Assad Syria, where the new authorities are attempting to dismantle networks associated with the former regime and curb Iranian influence. For years, Syria served as a crucial transit route for Iranian weapons shipments to Hezbollah in Lebanon, making the erosion of that network a significant strategic setback for Iran and its regional allies.
Although Syrian authorities have linked the suspects to Hezbollah, they have not publicly established a motive for the alleged attack or presented evidence that Iran directed the operation. Hezbollah has denied involvement, maintaining that it has no presence or operational activity inside Syria.