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Syria foils Hezbollah-linked plot to attack Homs refinery: What to know

Syrian authorities have intensified a crackdown against Hezbollah’s alleged plans to launch attacks inside Syrian territory as well as smuggling attempts.

Bakr ALkasem / AFP via Getty Images
A Syrian soldier stands guard next to an armored vehicle positioned along the Syrian-Lebanese border in the rural area of Al Qusayr on April 1, 2026. — Bakr ALkasem / AFP via Getty Images

BEIRUT — Syrian authorities said on Tuesday they thwarted a “terrorist plot” by a Hezbollah-linked cell to attack a refinery in the central province of Homs in the latest move against the Iran-backed group.

What happened: Syria’s Internal Security Forces said in a statement published Tuesday that several members of the cell were arrested during the operation, which was carried out in coordination with the General Intelligence Directorate. A number of explosives intended to be used in the attack at the Homs refinery were also seized, it read.

The Internal Security Forces published images of the weapons and equipment seized during the operation as well as photos of two suspects who were arrested.

“This operation comes as part of the security services’ ongoing efforts to track down terrorist cells, foil their plots, and protect vital facilities and the country's economic assets,” read the statement.

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