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This Photo Does Not Show Hezbollah Fighters Arriving in the Syrian City of Hama

Wesam Abo Marq Wesam Abo Marq
News
7th December 2024
This Photo Does Not Show Hezbollah Fighters Arriving in the Syrian City of Hama
The photo is outdated and unrelated to recent clashes in Syria (X)

The Claim

A photo shows Hezbollah Fighters Arriving in the Syrian City of Hama.

Emerging story

After reports of Hezbollah deploying forces to Syria amid the clashes, social media users circulated a photo claiming to show members of Hezbollah's al-Radwan force arriving in Hama.

A supporting image within the article body
A supporting image within the article body

Misbar’s Analysis

Misbar investigated the circulating photo and found the claim to be misleading.

A reverse image search found the photo making the rounds to be outdated and unrelated to recent clashes in Syria.

Old Photo of Hezbollah Training Shared Amid Syria Clashes

Contrary to social media users’ claim, the photo is unrelated to the ongoing clashes between the opposition factions and the Syrian regime forces.

Misbar’s team found the earliest publication date of the photo to be May 2023. Al-Manar TV, a Hezbollah-affiliated channel, uploaded the photo on May 24, 2023. 

A supporting image within the article body
A screenshot of the original photo (Al-Manar TV)

Hezbollah Sent Forces to Prevent Seizing the Syrian City of Homs

Hezbollah sent a limited number of “supervising forces” from Lebanon to Syria to prevent anti-government fighters from seizing the strategic city of Homs, Reuters reported, citing two senior Lebanese security sources on Friday.

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A screenshot of Reuters’ article.

One source stated, “Homs must not fall,” emphasizing the deployment of senior officers to oversee Hezbollah fighters who have operated near the Syria-Lebanon border for years.

A Syrian military officer and two regional officials close to Iran confirmed to Reuters that elite Hezbollah units crossed into Syria and took positions in Homs.

This deployment marks a shift in strategy since Monday when Hezbollah sources indicated no immediate plans to intervene in Syria.

A Lebanese security source described Homs as a “reservoir” for Hezbollah and other groups, highlighting its strategic importance in connecting Damascus to coastal strongholds. Losing Homs could sever this critical link for the Syrian government.

Western officials noted Hezbollah's concerns about potential Israeli strikes if they deployed to Syria.

Syrian Opposition Factions Advance Toward Homs After Seizing Hama

CNN reported that Syrian opposition factions are advancing toward the strategic city of Homs, where residents are fleeing in anticipation of clashes with regime forces.

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A screenshot of Al Jazeera’s article.

On Thursday, the opposition, led by fighters from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), seized control of Hama, marking the second major city to fall from President Bashar al-Assad's forces in just over a week.

HTS fighters entered the city, forcing government troops into a swift retreat. Many residents welcomed the opposition fighters, calling it a “liberation” from Assad's rule.

Opposition factions launched a new uprising in southern Daraa province, claiming they captured a major military base and announcing Damascus as their next target.

Russia’s embassy in Syria urged its citizens to leave the country, citing the worsening military and political conditions.

The U.N. Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that the latest escalation displaced at least 370,000 people, primarily women and children.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the week-long clashes claimed over 820 lives, including 111 civilians.

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Misbar’s Classification

Misleading

Misbar’s Sources

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