What spy devices did Hezbollah leave behind in Syria?

Despite Hezbollah's withdrawal from Syria, the traces of its security and intelligence presence remain strongly present, expertly hidden within the Syrian geography. The fighters have departed, but the surveillance and eavesdropping systems remain, particularly in the border areas and areas of the party's traditional influence. (The extent of these systems still operating is not yet known.)

According to field sources and reliable reports, Hezbollah has installed advanced surveillance and espionage systems in strategic locations, most notably the areas adjacent to the Lebanese border, the vicinity of the city of Qusayr, and Western Qalamoun. These systems include:

- Encrypted broadcast and communication towers directly linked to Hezbollah operations rooms in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

- Thermal surveillance cameras and audio sensors have been installed at village entrances and contact points.

- Wireless eavesdropping devices that enable monitoring of movements and communication between local groups.

Technical experts who have collaborated with Zaman al-Wasl over the past years confirm that some of these devices are equipped with precise tracking technology capable of monitoring movements day and night. Many of them are solar-powered, ensuring they can operate for months without maintenance.

Sources indicate that Hezbollah did not abandon this system haphazardly after the withdrawal of its cadres. Rather, it trained local loyalist groups to operate and maintain the devices, ensuring the continuity of the intelligence monitoring network.

The party also benefited from the security facilities provided by the former Syrian regime, which allowed it to plant its devices inside official and military headquarters, some of which are still being used by the new administration, particularly in areas such as Zabadani, Yabroud, and Sayyida Zeinab, in addition to some sensitive locations within the capital, Damascus.

*Official Document Documenting the Infiltration

An official letter dating back to 2013, addressed by the Director of the Administrative Affairs Department to the Minister of Interior in the Syrian regime's government, Major General Mohammad al-Shaar, reveals an official request allowing Hezbollah members to install surveillance devices on top of a water tank in the police housing area in Najha, where a number of senior security officers previously employed by the regime reside.

The document, dated December 3, 2013, without an issue number, shows that Brigadier General Thaer al-Omar, head of the Counter-Terrorism Branch of the State Security Service, confirmed that the area falls within their operational scope and that the required monitoring and surveillance devices should be installed on the roof of the tank in secret. The letter states:

"Brigadier General Ghassan Abu Hassoun, head of the Functional Housing Branch (affiliated with the Ministry of Interior), was assigned to meet with Brigadier General Thaer al-Omar, head of the Counter-Terrorism Branch of State Security. Brigadier General Thaer explained that the area falls within the scope of military operations, and that the required monitoring and surveillance devices should be installed on the roof of the tank. The task force would carry out this task in secret, given that the tank is located at the highest point and that no work will be undertaken other than monitoring and for security reasons."

The document was supervised by Major General Hamid Asaad Al-Marai, Director of the Administrative Affairs Department at the Ministry of Interior.

In 2022, maintenance was carried out on this equipment, which requires replacement of some parts every few years. It is likely that some of it is still in operation today.

The Najha area is located approximately 6 kilometers from the Sayyida Zeinab Shrine and approximately 19 kilometers from the Yarmouk Camp. This means that the location provides extensive wireless coverage for southern Damascus, which was a sensitive area.

The Damascus-Suwayda Highway also passes near the Najha residential areas (military and police) to the east, while to the north lie sensitive areas such as the Husseiniya Camp, which houses a Palestinian-Syrian community, then the town of Al-Dhiabiya, followed by Sayyida Zeinab, and finally Yarmouk and Al-Hajar Al-Aswad.

*An Intelligence Legacy Still Exists

Hezbollah left behind a security system in Syria that may still operate silently today, posing a constant threat that can be penetrated by any other party and transformed into an effective espionage tool against the state and society.

*What is Required?

- Launch a comprehensive technical security campaign within official headquarters used by the new state, with the aim of searching for eavesdropping devices or hidden surveillance systems, including within the presidential palace and sensitive state institutions.

- Conduct a thorough security survey of former sites where the party was deployed and the surrounding areas, to ensure they are free of any remnants of surveillance networks or espionage devices that could later be used against the state or society.