Iran Intensifies Arms Smuggling to Hezbollah via Syria Amid Ceasefire

Israeli security officials have detected a significant increase in attempts by Iran's Quds Force to smuggle weapons through Syrian territory directly into Lebanon. According to a security source cited by Channel 12, Iran is behind these smuggling operations, which are financed and managed by the Quds Force to supply Hezbollah with arms. These efforts are part of Hezbollah's current campaign to rearm and strengthen itself within Lebanon during the ongoing ceasefire period.

A security official stated that Hezbollah is exploiting the ceasefire to bolster its capabilities, leading to an escalation in smuggling attempts through Syria. It is estimated that many of these arms shipments succeed without detection. Despite recent images and reports of weapons seizures by Syrian and Lebanese forces, a substantial number of arms still manage to enter Syria and evade surveillance.

Israel views this situation as a key reason to maintain freedom of action in Syria, as uncovering a large-scale smuggling operation could justify strikes inside Syrian territory to neutralize the threat. The ongoing smuggling underscores the challenges Israel faces in preventing Hezbollah's rearmament amid regional instability.