Thawra Report Reveals Iranian Interference in Syria Through Hezbollah Cells

The Syrian newspaper Thawra reported on March 28, 2025, that security forces conducted a crackdown on Hezbollah cells in Sayyidah Zainab, highlighting tensions between Iran and Syrian authorities. It underlines Iran’s military involvement and the proxy tactics employed through Hezbollah, noting specific accusations tied to the regime’s aggressive interventions, including allegations of chemical weapon use. The report concludes with concerns regarding Iran’s continued interference in Syria.

On March 28, 2025, the Syrian newspaper Thawra reported a major security operation by the Syrian Ministry of Interior targeting Hezbollah cells in the Sayyidah Zainab region near Damascus. The Rural Damascus Security Directorate revealed that the detained operatives were planning “criminal operations” designed to destabilize the area. Images circulated by Syrian media displayed security forces capturing three individuals during this crackdown.

The report highlights rising tensions between the Iranian regime and Syrian authorities, noting recent accusations from the Syrian Ministry of Defense against Hezbollah operatives for infiltrating the region. The accusations come after the death of three soldiers from the newly formed Syrian army, raising concerns regarding Tehran’s influence in Syria since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011.

Thawra describes Iran’s reliance on both direct military involvement and proxy forces like Hezbollah to maintain its strategic position in Syria. The report reflects on Hezbollah’s engagement in significant operations, such as the 2013 battle of Qusayr, alongside the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), headed by the late Qassem Soleimani, which provided essential support to the Assad regime through military training and intelligence operations.

The regime’s involvement in Syria is extensive, as the report mentions IRGC’s direct actions from the war’s early stages, claiming a loss of over 2,100 IRGC fighters by March 2017. Furthermore, Thawra accuses Iran of aiding the Assad regime’s use of chemical weapons, notably during the 2013 Ghouta attacks that led to hundreds of civilian casualties, positing that Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah collectively facilitated these military operations.

The report emphasizes that the Syria-Lebanon border serves as a significant route for Hezbollah’s illicit activities, including arms and drug smuggling, allegedly organized with Iranian support. The 375-kilometer border has witnessed escalating conflict lately, with numerous allegations against Hezbollah’s involvement in cross-border operations.

In conclusion, the Thawra report asserts that Iran’s ongoing interference in Syria through military actions and Hezbollah remains a pivotal issue influencing regional stability. The recent crackdown on Hezbollah cells in Sayyidah Zainab reflects the intensifying tensions between Tehran and Damascus regarding Iranian influence in the region. Moreover, it details how Iran has mobilized various brigades to defend the Sayyidah Zainab site, a role that the new Syrian government is now purportedly assuming after the Assad regime’s decline.

In summary, the Thawra report indicates a significant rise in tensions between Iran and Syria, particularly surrounding Hezbollah’s activities. The crackdown on Hezbollah cells illustrates Syria’s increasing attempt to assert control and limit Iranian influence. Furthermore, the longstanding interference of the Iranian regime, both directly and through proxies, continues to pose a threat to regional stability, highlighting Syria’s evolving power dynamics.

Original Source: www.ncr-iran.org