Since the fall of Bashar Assad's regime in Syria, much has been written about the severing of Hezbollah's weapons corridor into Lebanon. The al-Sharaa government in Damascus has periodically announced operations against arms smuggling. Last month, for example, a tunnel was uncovered in the Homs district that had been used to smuggle weapons into Lebanon. Now it emerges that the reality is far more complex.
In western Syria, the population is exhausted by severe poverty and by acts of murder and kidnapping targeting minority communities, particularly the Alawite community. A Syrian source from that region who spoke with Israel Hayom said, "What is happening now is very dangerous." According to the source, "There is indeed hostility between al-Julani's men [Ahmed al-Sharaa] and Iran, and on the surface they are enemies. However, under the table, al-Julani's men are providing Hezbollah with concessions no less significant than those Assad gave them. Through arms deals with Hezbollah on the Syrian black market, they are supplying them with weapons cheaply."
"In Damascus, there are hundreds of warehouses full of Grad, Scud, and Katyusha rockets that the government has seized," the Syrian source added. "Al-Julani and his people are playing both sides." He explained that "al-Jolani's people include a large number of mercenaries who worship money. The state – that is, the government – cannot provide for all of them and their salaries. So each one finds his own way to make money – weapons, drugs, cars, robbery. Each one finds his area of specialty."
According to the source, "Hezbollah and Iran still have a foothold in Syria. They are in contact with al-Jolani's men. They lure them with money indirectly through their middlemen. And these jihadists have no principles. They will join hands with anyone because all that matters to them is profit and power."
At the same time, the source warned of an escalating atmosphere in southern Syria and in Damascus against Israel. In recent days, anti-Israel protests were held against the backdrop of the Knesset's approval of the terrorist death penalty law. During one of the protests, organizers hung an effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a prisoner's clothing.
Video: An effigy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dressed in a prisoner's uniform at an anti-Israel protest in Syria. Credit: Arab media
At another protest, organizers called for the slaughter of Jews. "It seems this escalation intensified with the attack on the embassies of the UAE and the US. The jihadists there threatened to destroy Israel – all of this under al-Jolani's rule," the source said.
Asked about the government's oversight of the protests, the source said that in principle it was a lie. "Even if we say he is involved in this, it is to maneuver certain issues and play cards he believes will be useful in the international arena," he argued.
In this context, the Syrian source assessed that "al-Julani does not have full control over his government ministries – referring mainly to the interior and defense ministries, which are responsible for the armed Islamists. Each ministry operates according to the principle that the minister is the boss."
As if that were not enough, masked men wearing the green headbands of Hamas' "military wing" – the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades – were spotted at protests in Damascus. "If you are trying to subdue us with the power of America, then we will subdue you with the power of God," said one of the masked men at a protest outside the American embassy. That protest complicated Damascus's relationship with Abu Dhabi.
"The attack on embassies and diplomatic missions is not only a flagrant violation of international law but reflects a flaw in the security environment of the countries in which these attacks occur," declared Anwar Gargash, advisor to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan. "What a small, extremist group is doing is happening while the UAE hosts a Syrian exile community that lives and works safely. These dangerous messages demand a clear reckoning and a full commitment to respecting international law," al-Nahyan added.
In response, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani quickly issued a clarifying statement. "We value our relationship with the UAE, which is based on mutual respect and constructive cooperation. We emphasize that any violation by a limited group does not represent the Syrian people and does not reflect their values. We strongly condemn all forms of violation or insult."
