A groundbreaking investigation by Al Jazeera has uncovered explosive audio evidence revealing senior former Syrian military officials allegedly conspiring with Israeli intelligence to undermine the country’s current government. The revelations, broadcast on the network’s ‘The Investigator’ program, stem from over 74 hours of intercepted recordings and hundreds of documents that paint a disturbing picture of collaboration between former Bashar al-Assad loyalists and foreign interests.
At the center of the scandal stands Suheil al-Hassan, once commander of the elite Tiger Forces unit, who is heard in recordings being assured of Israeli support by an individual posing as a Mossad operative. ‘The State of Israel, with all its capabilities, will stand with you,’ the purported intelligence officer tells Hassan, who responds by referencing coordination through Rami Makhlouf—a wealthy Syrian businessman and cousin of the deposed President Assad.
The leaked conversations reveal not only potential coordination with Israel but also contain deeply offensive remarks from Hassan about various religious groups, including Palestinians, Shia and Sunni Muslims, and Christians. When the fake Mossad agent suggests most Sunnis in the region share Hamas’s ideology, Hassan retorts that ‘The Shias are the same and the Eastern Christians are even worse.’
The investigation emerges against the backdrop of significant regional upheaval. Following the collapse of the Assad government after a rapid offensive by forces loyal to current President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Israel expanded its territorial control in southern Syria, seizing a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights in December 2024 and conducting hundreds of subsequent attacks.
Additional high-ranking figures implicated in the leak include former brigadier general Ghiath Dalla, who validates Hassan’s claim of representing Syria’s mountainous coastal regions—traditional Assad strongholds. Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba confirmed the recordings demonstrate how elements of the former administration were prepared to collaborate with hostile entities.
The Al Jazeera report corroborates earlier New York Times findings that revealed exiled Assad-era figures were actively working to undermine Syria’s current government and reclaim control of coastal areas. Intercepted communications showed former intelligence chiefs and military commanders—many based in Russia and Lebanon—were rebuilding loyalist networks within the Alawi community, with Hassan reportedly meeting collaborators across multiple countries and allegedly maintaining detailed records of potential fighters and weaponry.
The leaked communications date to April 2025, shortly after sectarian violence on Syria’s Mediterranean coast left over 1,600 dead, predominantly Alawis. The coordinated attacks against new government troops served as a rallying point for former regime figures seeking to mobilize fighters, capitalizing on economic hardship and fear within the Alawi community despite persistent resentment toward Assad’s rule.
Further complicating matters, the investigation reveals Hassan’s alleged backing of the Beirut-based Foundation for the Development of Western Syria, which has spent millions on lobbying efforts in Washington. Disclosure filings show the foundation hired Tiger Hill Partners and former Trump administration official Joseph Schmitz under a $1 million contract, presenting itself as an advocate for Syrian minorities while allegedly advancing the interests of exiled regime elements.