Syrian Interior Ministry thwarts terror attack on religious leader in Damascus, Israeli media claim Jewish rabbi targeted

The Syrian Interior Ministry announced Saturday that a terror attack in the Damascus area had been thwarted. 

According to the ministry, the country’s Counter-Terrorism Administration, working with the internal security command in Damascus, identified and thwarted the attempted terror attack. 

Special units identified a woman who was a member of a terror cell and followed her movements, observing her as she tried to plant an explosive device in front of the home of a cleric near the Al-Marimiyah Church [Church of Mary] in the Bab Touma area of the Old City of Damascus. This is one of the oldest churches in Syria, affiliated with the Orthodox Church. 

The Church of Mary in Damascus is the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and much of the Middle East. The announcement of the foiled attack near the church came on the eve of the Eastern Orthodox celebration of Easter, amidst heightened security measures in predominantly Christian neighborhoods and around prominent churches during the holiday week. 

Syrian churches canceled almost all Easter services this year, citing "discouraging circumstances," according to statements from several churches, an apparent reference to recent attacks on Christians in the town of Al-Suqaylabiyah. 

Easter Canceled Under Syria’s Ex-Al-Qaeda Leader: Christians Forced to Hide Their Faith and Attacked!

The Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarchate just issued this official letter from Damascus:

All public Easter 2026 celebrations are canceled.

Holy Week and Easter will be limited… https://t.co/dUXRkibcsK pic.twitter.com/9pjjzOwqZ6

— Amy Mek (@AmyMek) March 31, 2026

The Syrian Arab News Agency reported that an official involved in the arrest told the agency, “An explosive device intended to target a religious figure was dismantled in Damascus.” 

The ministry further noted that the threat was neutralized and the bomb was dismantled before it exploded, without causing any casualties or damage. In addition, all five members of the terror cell were detained. 

According to the ministry, initial investigations revealed the cell members to be affiliated with the Hezbollah Shi’a terror organization from Lebanon. The terrorists received unique military training outside Syria, which included the delivery of improvised explosive devices, it claimed. 

The ministry noted that the investigations are ongoing in order to uncover all the detials of the incident and identify those involved, before handing the case to the relevant legal authorities. Photos published in Syrian media indicate the terrorists prepared an improvised explosive device (IED) that was supposed to be operated using walkie-talkies. 

While the Syrian Interior Ministry did not specify the identity of the target, merely noting the proximity to the Church of Mary in the Old City, reports in Israeli media claimed that the target was actually Rabbi Michael Houry, who visited Damascus to inspect synagogues there late last year. Rabbi Houry reportedly lives in Israel.