Syria says it foiled attempt to smuggle advanced arms to Hezbollah from Iraq

Syrian authorities announced Thursday they thwarted an attempt to smuggle a large shipment of advanced weapons, including long-range missiles, anti-tank guided missiles, and fiber optic-guided FPV drones, from Iraq. The shipment, discovered in a suspicious vehicle near the Iraqi border, was reportedly destined for the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon. Syrian state news agency SANA reported that preliminary investigations indicated the arms were intended to transit Syrian territory before reaching Hezbollah. This incident occurs amidst ongoing efforts by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to assure Israel and Western powers that Syria will not be drawn into regional conflicts and will focus on reconstruction, despite previously stopping weapons shipments to Lebanon.