BEIRUT, Lebanon, Jan. 16 (UPI) -- Lebanon and Syria have been working to turn the page on decades of mistrust and tense ties since the ouster of Syrian President Bashar Assad in December 2024.
But the uneasy process has been complicated by reports that former regime officers hiding in Lebanon were involved in plots against Damascus' new leadership.
The alleged use of Lebanese territory to destabilize Syria and undermine the rule of its new president, Ahmad Sharaa, has emerged as a highly sensitive security issue, raising concerns in the two neighboring countries.
The reports were based on leaked audio recordings obtained by Al Jazeera of former Assad loyalists, including high‑ranking military officers, discussing plans to regroup, secure funding and weapons, and explore possible coordination with Israel to undermine Syria's stability after the collapse of the Assad regime.
They were specifically considering military action involving remnants of the former regime's forces in Syria's coastal regions to regain influence, particularly in Alawite-majority areas.
