IAF strikes Hezbollah intelligence HQ branch in Damascus, Syria

Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters has a branch in Syria that contains an intelligence gathering, coordination, and assessment network.

 People inspect a damaged area in the aftermath of what Syrian state media reported was an Israeli strike in the Mezzah suburb, west of Damascus, Syria October 9, 2024. (photo credit: REUTERS/FIRAS MAKDESI)
People inspect a damaged area in the aftermath of what Syrian state media reported was an Israeli strike in the Mezzah suburb, west of Damascus, Syria October 9, 2024.
(photo credit: REUTERS/FIRAS MAKDESI)

Israeli air force fighter jets struck Hezbollah infrastructure within its intelligence headquarters in the area of Damascus in Syria, the IDF reported Monday evening.

Head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters in Syria, Mahmoud Muhammad Shaheen, was killed in the strike. 

The Intelligence Directorate directed the fighter jets. The intelligence headquarters is the main intelligence body within Hezbollah and is responsible for building the organization's intelligence, directing its intelligence operations, and conducting its intelligence collection and detection capabilities. 

Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters has a branch in Syria that contains an intelligence gathering, coordination, and assessment network, according to the IDF. It operates independently and under the guidance of the head of Hezbollah's intelligence headquarters, Hussein Ali Al-Zima, who was killed in Beirut in October. 

Al-Zima was killed in the same strike in Dahiyeh, Beirut, in which Hashem Safi Al-Din and Hussein Ali Al-Zima were killed. 

 People walk along a street on the day of the parliamentary elections, in Damascus, Syria July 15, 2024. (credit:  REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar)
People walk along a street on the day of the parliamentary elections, in Damascus, Syria July 15, 2024. (credit: REUTERS/Yamam al Shaar)

Later that night, an explosion was heard in Syria's Homs, Syrian state media said, adding that an investigation was ongoing to determine its nature.

Mahmoud Muhammad Shaheen

Shaheen assumed this role in 2007 after gaining seniority and developing close relationships with the Syrian regime and segments of the Iranian regime.

In his role, he led the development and deployment of intelligence and air defense capabilities in coordination with segments of the Iranian axis.