Media: Israel intercepts Iranian plane suspected of arms transfer to Hezbollah

Israeli Air Force fighter jets forced a plane travelling from Iran to alter its course in Syrian airspace on the night of December 1 to 2.

The aircraft, suspected of carrying weapons intended for the Lebanese Hezbollah group, prompted the Israeli military's intervention, after which the plane's crew complied and changed its flight path, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

Meanwhile, the Syrian National Army (SNA) has intensified its operations under the banner of "Dawn of Freedom", successfully blocking the area around Tel Rifaat, which had been under the control of the terrorist group PKK/YPG.

In fierce clashes with the terrorists, SNA forces advanced in several directions—east, northeast, northwest, and south.

During their offensive, the army secured key locations, including the military airport at Kuweiris and several towns in the Tel Rifaat area. After capturing the airport, SNA forces advanced southwards, reaching the Sheikh Najjar industrial zone, which had previously been controlled by armed factions opposing Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

This move effectively encircled Tel Rifaat from all sides, severely weakening the position of the terrorists.

As part of the operation, three villages—Tel Inab, Mazrat Hamad, and Zoyan—were cleared of PKK/YPG militants, alongside the Zuyan height. The seizure of Kuweiris airport also severed the strategically significant Tel Rifaat–Manbij supply line that had been established by the terrorist group.

However, as the Syrian Army withdrew, it handed control of the airport back to the terrorists, underlining the volatile and shifting dynamics of the frontline.

In a related development, since the onset of Israel's military operation against Hezbollah in late September, more than 560,000 people have crossed the border between Lebanon and Syria.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 562,000 individuals—37% of them Lebanese and 63% Syrians—have fled into Syria since the escalation of hostilities in September 2024. Additionally, 41,442 Lebanese citizens have sought refuge in Iraq.

By Aghakazim Guliyev