The Syrian newspaper Thawra reported on March 28, 2025, a security crackdown by Syrian authorities on Hezbollah cells in Sayyidah Zainab, revealing escalating tensions between the Iranian regime and Syrian officials. The report notes Iran’s historical military presence in Syria and highlights Hezbollah’s illegal activities across the Syria-Lebanon border, emphasizing the impact on regional stability.
A report from the Syrian newspaper Thawra, published on March 28, 2025, reveals a security crackdown by the Syrian Ministry of Interior targeting Hezbollah cells in the Sayyidah Zainab area near Damascus. The Rural Damascus Security Directorate disclosed via the platform “X” on March 27, that the arrested individuals were plotting “criminal operations” to destabilize the region, with images released of security forces apprehending three suspects during the operation.
The report indicates escalating tensions between the Iranian regime and Syrian authorities, emphasizing recent accusations by the Syrian Ministry of Defense against Hezbollah operatives. The defense ministry reported that these operatives infiltrated Syrian territory and killed three soldiers from the newly formed Syrian army. This situation heightens scrutiny regarding Tehran’s influence in Syria, ongoing since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011.
Thawra details the Iranian regime’s historical reliance on both direct military intervention and proxy forces, particularly Hezbollah, to sustain its strategic interests in Syria. Hezbollah’s involvement has included key military engagements like the 2013 battle of Qusayr. Additionally, the Quds Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), under the late Qassem Soleimani, has been instrumental in military training, intelligence support, and repression of anti-regime protests.
The article further asserts that Iranian involvement in the Syrian conflict is broader than Hezbollah’s actions. The IRGC has reportedly operated directly in Syria since the conflict began, with over 2,100 IRGC fighters reportedly lost by March 2017. Thawra also implicates Iran in supporting the Assad regime’s deployment of chemical weapons, notably during the 2013 Ghouta attacks, which resulted in numerous civilian casualties, highlighting the collaborative roles of Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah in military operations.
The border between Syria and Lebanon is described as a crucial route for Hezbollah’s illegal activities, particularly arms and drug trafficking, allegedly conducted with Iranian support. With the border spanning 375 kilometers, recent reports suggest increased conflict associated with Hezbollah’s cross-border operations.
In conclusion, the Thawra report emphasizes that Iranian interference in Syria—whether directly or through proxies like Hezbollah—remains a significant concern for regional stability and security. The crackdown on Hezbollah cells in Sayyidah Zainab illustrates the rising tensions between Tehran and Damascus regarding the extent of Iranian influence in the region, despite Iran’s justified mobilization of various brigades to protect religious sites since the uprising began in 2011.
In summary, the Thawra report sheds light on the ongoing Israeli crackdown on Hezbollah cells, which reflects rising tensions between the Iranian regime and Syrian authorities. The report underscores Iran’s historical military involvement in Syria and highlights the implications of this interference for regional stability. As Iran’s influence continues to face scrutiny, the operations against Hezbollah cells signal a complex dynamic in the geopolitical landscape of the region.
Original Source: www.ncr-iran.org
