Hezbollah Denies Its Connection to a Cell in Damascus and Describes the Accusations as "Fabricated"

SadaNews - Hezbollah denied, today, Sunday, its connection to a cell that the Syrian Ministry of the Interior said it had arrested in connection with planning to target an "unnamed religious figure" in Damascus.

The Ministry of the Interior had announced on Saturday that it had observed a woman attempting to "plant an explosive device in front of the home of one of the religious figures" and indicated that five people had been arrested.

It added that initial investigations revealed a "connection of the cell to Hezbollah of Lebanon".

In response, the party issued a statement denying these "false and fabricated claims", emphasizing that it "has no activity, connection, or relationship with any party in Syria and has no presence on Syrian territory".

It further stated that it is keen on the "security and stability of Syria and the safety of its people in all its components", calling on the Syrian authorities to "verify accurately before making unwarranted accusations".

This exchange comes in the context of the complicated relationship between the two parties, as Hezbollah fought alongside the forces of the ousted Bashar al-Assad during the conflict that erupted in 2011 following the suppression of the Syrian revolution.

During that phase, Syria was part of the "Axis of Resistance" led by Iran against Israel, serving as a link and supply route between Tehran and the party.

Following the ousting of Assad in late 2024, the new Syrian authorities took a cautious stance towards Iranian influence and Hezbollah within the country.

Damascus had previously announced in February of last year the dismantling of a cell responsible for attacks targeting the Mazzeh area in Damascus, indicating that the weapons used came from Hezbollah, which the party denied at the time.