Syrian security forces say they have thwarted a plot to attack the Homs oil refinery in central Syria, announcing the arrest of a cell they described as affiliated with Lebanon's Hezbollah armed group.
The General Intelligence Service said on X that what it called "the preemptive security operation" was carried out in cooperation with the country's Internal Security Forces. The agency identified the two detained men only by their initials, M S and B Sh, and did not say when or where the operation took place. It said the raid ended with "the seizure of explosive devices in their possession that had been prepared to execute the plot".
Hezbollah firmly rejected the Syrian accusations in a statement, reiterating that it has no presence on Syrian territory and is not involved in "any activity that undermines the security and stability of Syria".
The Lebanese group fought alongside former President Bashar al-Assad's forces during Syria's nearly 14-year civil war, but its relationship with Damascus has deteriorated sharply since al-Assad was overthrown in 2024. Syrian authorities have since accused Hezbollah of involvement in a series of alleged plots, including planned assassinations, rocket attacks and arms smuggling.
The Homs refinery is one of only two oil refineries in Syria, along with the Baniyas facility, and it plays a key role in securing the country's petroleum products.
In a separate announcement on Sunday, the intelligence service said it had arrested two members of a suspected ISIL (ISIS) cell in the governorate of Deir Az Zor. It said investigations "showed the detainees' involvement in carrying out a series of assassinations in the province", the most recent of which targeted defence ministry member Ibrahim al-Jassem, who was shot near the al-Rashid mosque in the city of Mayadin.
Security forces said weapons and ammunition were seized from the cell's hideout, adding that investigations were continuing to uncover the suspects' links "in preparation for bringing them to justice". On September 27, authorities announced the arrest of four members of an ISIL cell accused of planning and carrying out several attacks in different parts of the country.
Syria's energy infrastructure has also come under repeated pressure. On September 30, the Syrian Electricity Company said the Deir Ali, Nasiriya and Tishreen power stations went out of service after an explosion hit a gas line at the Tishreen station in the Damascus countryside, cutting off the gas supply needed to run them. On October 15, the Syrian Petroleum Company said a pipeline carrying petroleum products from Baniyas to Homs was damaged near the village of Hadida in the western Homs countryside, causing a fuel leak, state media reported.
Last month, security forces said they foiled a plot to target a police patrol in the Damascus countryside, saying an ISIL cell was preparing the attack. State television said the group was responsible for explosions and assassinations in Raqqa, Aleppo, Idlib and Homs. Damascus joined the US-led international coalition against ISIL last November; the coalition was formed in 2014 and has carried out operations against the group in Syria and Iraq.
