Newly discovered intelligence files from Syria’s fallen regime reveal how security forces rushed to respond after explosions ripped through communication devices used by Hezbollah in Lebanon last September.
The documents, recovered from a Damascus intelligence office following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December, paint a picture of confusion and urgency. On September 17, a military intelligence branch issued an urgent alert about exploding pagers linked to Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militia that had been a crucial ally throughout Syria’s civil war.
Officers struggled to piece together what happened, relying on unverified tips and speculation. One memo incorrectly claimed the devices had been used at the American University of Beirut and removed days earlier. Another wrongly linked them to Motorola, alleging ties to an Israeli communications firm.
When walkie-talkies detonated the following day, the tone shifted dramatically. A top-secret directive from Major General Munther Saad Ibrahim ordered all wireless devices kept away from leaders and used only when absolutely necessary.
The 137-page cache, found at what was known as Branch 235, shows Syrian intelligence working frantically to understand Israel’s covert operation against Hezbollah. Many messages refer to the militia as “friends” or “Lebanese friends,” underscoring the deep coordination between the two.
Over 100 wounded individuals, both fighters and civilians, were moved into Syria after the attacks, according to the files. Ambulances from Lebanese Civil Defense, the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, and Hezbollah’s own medical service handled the transfers, though the Lebanese agency denied involvement.
By September 22, roughly 120 people had arrived, including two children aged 9 and 11. Injuries ranged from eye and chest wounds to damage to limbs, jaws, and abdomen.
Security at Damascus’s Tishreen Military Hospital was tightened significantly. Intelligence officers ordered that names not be recorded at the main entrance but inside the emergency department. Only visitors cleared by Hezbollah, Syrian intelligence, and the Iranian embassy could enter.
One observer noted that the relatively low number of medical transfers—compared to thousands wounded in Lebanon—reflected Syria’s growing danger for Hezbollah members. Israeli strikes on Syrian soil had intensified throughout the year, making even allied territory unsafe.
The last memo in the files, dated December 1, records the transfer of a deceased individual from Lebanon to Syria. Just one week later, rebel forces swept into Damascus, ending decades of Assad family control.