Israeli Army arrests alleged Quds force-linked cells in Syria

DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Friday that it carried out a series of operations inside Syrian territory over the past months, resulting in the arrest of individuals described as “terrorist cells” linked to a unit of Iran’s Quds Force.

In an official statement, the IDF said that in March and April, it detained two field operatives from Unit 840, identified as Zidan al-Tawil and Muhammad al-Kuryan. In recent weeks, additional cells were reportedly arrested; these had been mobilized by Lebanese operatives Qasim Salah al-Husseini and Muhammad Shuaib, who were recently killed in Lebanon.

The statement described al-Husseini and Shuaib as key figures in weapons-smuggling operations from Iran to the West Bank and northern frontlines. Investigations reportedly revealed that some recruits were unaware of the organization they were serving, with recruitment often facilitated through financial incentives without disclosure of the true objectives.

According to the IDF, Unit 840 is responsible for planning and directing operations targeting Israelis and Jews inside Israel and abroad. The army emphasized that the recent arrests are part of ongoing measures against this unit since the start of the Syrian conflict, including thwarting attempts to smuggle advanced Iranian weapons into the West Bank and striking Syrian army camps east of the country used by the unit.

The IDF further accused Iran’s Quds Force of exploiting the difficult living conditions of Lebanese and Syrian citizens for recruitment through “deception, bribery, and lies,” putting recruits’ lives at risk to carry out attacks against Israel.