IDF Discloses Arrests of Iranian IRGC Operatives in Syria

Latest Developments

Unit 840 Suspects Arrested: The IDF revealed on September 12 that during a series of special operations over the past several months, it had arrested and eliminated at least seven members of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force’s Unit 840, which operates from Syrian territory. Through interrogations, the IDF said that it learned that many of the operatives in Unit 840 were lured by bribes and did not realize that they had been recruited by an IRGC unit. Those arrested had been directed to carry out attacks against Israel from Syria, according to the IDF.
Timeline of Actions Against Unit 840: In March and April, the IDF identified and arrested Unit 840 members Zeidan al-Tawil and Muhammad al-Kuryan in Syria. In July, Qassem Salah al-Husseini and Mohammad Shuayb were eliminated in Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon, while three other unidentified Unit 840 members recruited by Husseini and Shuayb were arrested in Syria. The IDF said that Husseini and Shuayb were some of “the most prominent operatives” in Unit 840 and were responsible for smuggling weapons from Iran to the West Bank, Lebanon, and Syria.
Iranian Wants to Stabilize Presence in Syria: Both the IRGC and Iranian proxy groups have attempted to retain their presence in Syria following the rapid ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad, a stalwart ally of Iran’s regime, in December 2024. On September 11, the Syrian transitional government, led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, announced that forces from the Internal Security Command and the Syrian Intelligence Agency had arrested several members of an Iran-backed Hezbollah terror cell that was active near Damascus. Throughout the summer months, Syrian forces on several occasions intercepted trucks carrying rockets and other weapons shipments bound for Hezbollah in Lebanon.

FDD Expert Response

“Israel’s presence in the area adjacent to the Golan Heights has yielded significant security results, preventing hostile groups from entrenching themselves in the region amid Iran’s ongoing attempts to reestablish itself in Syria. Security coordination between Israel and Syria, despite their differences, is essential to stop Iran from regaining a foothold in the area and preventing Hezbollah’s rearmament and regeneration.” — Ahmad Sharawi, Research Analyst

“Ideally, it should be local security forces who identify and arrest Iran’s agents operating on Syrian soil. When the IDF finds it necessary to cross borders to capture hostile operatives, it underscores not only the weakness of local governance but also the erosion of sovereignty in the area. It also highlights a deeper strategic problem: despite the collapse of the Assad regime and a summer war with Israel, Iran continues to exploit Syria as a staging ground for operations against the Jewish state.” — Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst and Editor at FDD’s Long War Journal