Syrian security forces say they have foiled a plot to attack the Homs oil refinery in central Syria, arresting a cell they have linked to Lebanon's Hezbollah armed group.
Syria's General Intelligence Service (GIS) announced the operation on X, describing it as a "preemptive security operation" carried out in cooperation with the country's Internal Security Forces.
The GIS identified two arrested individuals by their initials — M S and B Sh — but did not specify the time or location of the operation. It said the arrests "resulted in the seizure of explosive devices in their possession that had been prepared to execute the plot."
Hezbollah denied the accusations in a statement, reiterating that it does not have any presence on Syrian territory and is not involved in "any activity that undermines the security and stability of Syria."
The Homs refinery is one of Syria's two oil refineries, alongside the Baniyas refinery, and plays a key role in securing the country's petroleum supply.
Hezbollah fought alongside former President Bashar al-Assad's forces during Syria's nearly 14-year civil war. Relations between the group and Damascus have deteriorated sharply since al-Assad's overthrow in 2024. Syrian authorities have since accused Hezbollah of involvement in a series of alleged plots, including planned assassinations, rocket attacks, and arms smuggling.
In a separate operation, the GIS announced on Sunday the arrest of two members of a suspected ISIS cell in the governorate of Deir Az Zor.
Investigators said the detainees were involved in "carrying out a series of assassinations in the province, the latest of which targeted defence ministry member Ibrahim al-Jassem with a gunshot near the al-Rashid mosque in the city of Mayadin." The operation led to the seizure of weapons and ammunition found at the cell's hideout. Authorities said investigations were continuing "to uncover their links in preparation for bringing them to justice."
The latest arrests come amid a broader pattern of security incidents across Syria. On September 27, security forces announced the arrest of four members of an ISIS cell linked to multiple attacks in different parts of the country.
Three days later, on September 30, the Deir Ali, Nasiriya, and Tishreen power stations went out of service following an explosion on a gas line at the Tishreen station in the Damascus countryside, cutting off the gas supply needed to operate them.
On October 15, the Syrian Petroleum Company reported that a pipeline carrying petroleum products from Baniyas to Homs was damaged near the village of Hadida in western Homs countryside, causing a fuel leak — the latest in a series of attacks on Syria's energy infrastructure.
Last month, security forces also foiled a plot to target a police patrol in the Damascus countryside, attributing the planned attack to an ISIS cell. The group was said to be responsible for explosions and assassinations in Raqqa, Aleppo, Idlib, and Homs.
Damascus joined the US-led international coalition against ISIS last November. The coalition was formed in 2014 and has carried out operations against the group in both Syria and Iraq.
