Syrian rebels seize key smuggling tunnel, disrupting Hezbollah's weapons flow VIDEO

Syrian rebels discovered a vast smuggling tunnel this week in the mountainous Qalamoun range, located between Syria and Lebanon.

The tunnel is notably wide, allowing for the seamless passage of lorries and vehicles, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

The underground tunnel was found near the town of Al-Qutayfah, northeast of Damascus. A video shared on social media shows lorries and bulldozers inside the tunnel, which is equipped with lighting.

The footage also claims the tunnel housed arms depots and missile storage facilities. This marks another significant blow to the Iranian weapons smuggling corridor for Hezbollah.

In addition to blocking the overland route in eastern Syria, the rebels have now seized control of one of the key crossing points between Syria and Lebanon.

🔴 Askeri Harekat Komutanlığı güçleri, Kuteyfe bölgesinde devrik Suriye rejimi ve Hizbullah'a ait dev bir tünel ve yer altı güzergahı keşfetti. pic.twitter.com/j9S1qzVodw

— Conflict (@ConflictTR) December 12, 2024

Notably, Hezbollah has expressed concern over recent developments in Syria, describing them as a "major, dangerous and new transformation." The group’s first official response follows the fall of its long-time ally, President Bashar al-Assad. Hezbollah, which played a crucial role in supporting Assad during Syria's civil war, had recently redeployed its fighters back to Lebanon to confront Israel in the wake of rising hostilities.

Assad’s removal marks a significant loss for Hezbollah, which relied on Syria as a critical conduit for Iranian arms shipments. The loss of this vital ally along Lebanon’s eastern border represents a serious blow to the group's strategic position in the region.

Hezbollah lawmaker Hassan Fadlallah issued a statement, stressing the gravity of the situation: "What is happening in Syria is a major, dangerous and new transformation, and how and why what happened requires an evaluation, and the evaluation is not done on the podiums."

On December 8, Syrian armed groups led by the Sunni Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized the capital, Damascus, forcing Assad to flee to Russia. This development comes after a prolonged conflict, including a year-long war with Israel, which saw Hezbollah significantly weakened.

The hostilities, sparked by Hezbollah’s support for Hamas in Gaza, came to a halt with a ceasefire in Lebanon on November 27.

By Aghakazim Guliyev