Interior Ministry Discloses Details of Damascus Operation and Confirms the Intended Target

The Counter-Terrorism Department, working in coordination with the Rural Damascus Internal Security Command, has foiled an assassination attempt in the capital that was aimed at Rabbi Mikhail Houri. The security operation ended with the arrest of a five-member cell.

According to an official statement from the Ministry of Interior, the operation was launched after special units tracked a female operative as she attempted to place an improvised explosive device outside the residence of a religious figure near the Mariamite Cathedral in Bab Tuma. Sources close to Syria TV later confirmed that the intended target was the Jewish Rabbi, Mikhail Houri.

The Attempted Assassination

Specialist teams succeeded in defusing the device without loss of life or damage to property. All members of the cell were taken into custody. Early interrogations suggest that the detainees are linked to the Lebanese militia Hezbollah and had received military training abroad, particularly in the preparation and deployment of explosive devices.

Authorities stated that investigations are continuing to determine the full scope of the plot and to identify any wider networks, before the suspects are referred to the judiciary.

Earlier Neutralisation of Hezbollah-Linked Cells

This incident follows a report issued by the Ministry of Interior last February that shed new light on a cell responsible for attacks in the Mezzeh district and its military airport. Initial findings established a direct connection between the operatives and foreign actors, and the seized ordnance — including missiles, launch platforms, and unmanned aerial vehicles — was traced to Hezbollah.

The Ministry’s February statement added that the suspects had admitted to preparing further drone strikes before security forces intervened.

In a separate counter-terrorism operation last March, the Ministry announced the disruption of a plot attributed to an ISIS-affiliated cell. The operation, carried out in cooperation with Turkish intelligence, aimed to conduct acts of sabotage inside Damascus. Official channels released images of three individuals arrested in Rural Damascus who had been involved in rigging a vehicle for a high-impact attack in the capital.

 

This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.

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