Iran seeking to assassinate Syrian president – report

Iran is seeking to destabilize al-Sharaa’s rule through proxies and allied local groups, including by considering assassination scenarios.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli security officials are warning that Iran is actively working to undermine Syria’s new leadership and eliminate President Ahmed al-Sharaa, according to a report published by Walla.

The warning, delivered in recent weeks within Israel’s defense establishment, is based on intelligence assessments indicating that Tehran, together with other hostile actors, views al-Sharaa as running counter to its strategic interests in Syria.

According to the report, Iran is seeking to destabilize his rule through proxies and local allied organizations, including by exploring assassination scenarios, forcing the Syrian president to devote significant attention to personal security and regime stabilization.

Israeli officials believe Iran’s actions reflect concern over shifting dynamics in Syria and the possibility that Tehran’s influence could erode under the current leadership.

The assessment comes as cautious diplomatic contacts between Jerusalem and Damascus resume under U.S. auspices. According to Axios, Syrian and Israeli officials are expected to meet in Paris on Monday for U.S.-mediated talks focused on security arrangements along the Israel–Syria border.

The discussions are being led by President Donald Trump’s Syria envoy, Tom Barrack, following a push from Washington to revive the stalled channel.

Trump has publicly expressed confidence in al-Sharaa, saying last week that the United States and Israel have reached an “understanding” regarding Syria’s new leadership, despite the president’s past as an Islamist militant.

Israeli officials, however, continue to view Iranian activity as the primary destabilizing factor, warning that Tehran is moving aggressively to disrupt emerging regional alignments and preserve its influence inside Syria.

From Israel’s perspective, the reported Iranian threat against al-Sharaa underscores Syria’s continued centrality in Iran’s regional strategy and reinforces Jerusalem’s assessment that Iranian proxy activity, rather than diplomatic engagement, remains the dominant security challenge along Israel’s northern front.