Israel strikes Hezbollah’s intelligence infrastructure in Syria, targeting key operatives: Israeli army claims

The Israeli army claimed that its warplanes attacked Damascus, targeting infrastructure and interests affiliated with Hezbollah's intelligence unit.

The Israeli army spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said in a post on X that in an air operation guided by the Military Intelligence Directorate, Israeli Air Force warplanes attacked Hezbollah intelligence unit targets inside Syria.

"Hezbollah's intelligence unit is the organization's central intelligence branch responsible for shaping the group's intelligence capabilities and leading intelligence-gathering efforts with surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities," he said.

"The intelligence unit operates an office in Syria equipped with collection and assessment systems, functioning independently and under direct supervision of intelligence unit commander Hussein Ali Hazima, who was killed in Beirut about a month ago alongside Hashem Safieddine. Also killed was Mahmoud Mohammad Shahin, Hezbollah's head of intelligence operations in Syria," he added. 

According to Adraee, Mahmoud Mohammad Shahin held various roles within Hezbollah and its intelligence unit before assuming leadership of the unit in Syria in 2007. 

"Over time, he gained expertise and developed close working relationships with the Syrian regime and Iranian affiliates, overseeing the building and operationalization of intelligence and air defense capabilities with Iranian support," he stated.

"The Israeli army has dealt a serious blow to Hezbollah's intelligence branch, having destroyed its facilities in Lebanon and disrupted its information-gathering capabilities. The latest strikes targeting Hezbollah interests in Syria add to these efforts aimed at weakening Hezbollah's intelligence operations," he further claimed.