Iran Allegedly Hid Weapons in Earthquake Aid Convoys Heading to Syria

Iran allegedly smuggled weapons inside earthquake aid convoys heading to Syria
The munitions were heading toward proxy groups who are believed to be responsible for repeatedly targeting US military personnel
The reports of the alleged cover-ups follow a leaked US intelligence report

Iran allegedly hid and smuggled weapons inside earthquake aid convoys heading to Syria to supply proxy groups in their attacks against United States military personnel.

Two sources familiar with US intelligence and an Israeli defense official suggested that Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. (IRGC), and more specifically, its Quds Force used humanitarian aid shipments as a cover to transport arms and ammunition to Syria.

Iran's Alleged Hidden Weapons Transport to Syria

The humanitarian aid convoys followed a devastating earthquake in the region in February that caused tens of thousands of casualties. Intelligence officials believe that the munitions were heading for Iranian proxy groups stationed in Syria responsible for repeated strikes against American military personnel in the area as part of the anti-ISIS coalition.

In a statement, the Israeli defense official noted that the humanitarian assistance of Iran that was meant for Syria was taken advantage of to move weapons capabilities into the region. Reports followed a leaked US intelligence document, as per MSN.

United States President Joe Biden previously ordered several airstrikes against Iran-backed militia groups in Syria. One of the most recent attacks was conducted in March, involving an American contractor killed and five US service members injured. The incident came after a suspected Iranian drone targeted a coalition military base.

Following the devastating February earthquake in Syria, foreign aid quickly poured into the region. The magnitude 7.8 tremor, which killed over 50,000 people, was considered one of the strongest in the region in more than a century.

The situation comes as the United States worked on bolstering its military forces stationed in the Middle East after a series of attacks on American troops deployed in Syria. The attacks were attributed to Iranian-affiliated militias, said the Pentagon in March.

Attacking American Military Personnel

In response to that attack, the United States conducted precision airstrikes on facilities that were known to be associated with Iran's IRGC. According to CNN, it involved a squadron of A-10 attack aircraft deployed several weeks ahead of their schedule.

The United States also ordered a carrier strike group to maintain its position in the region to support U.S. forces in Central Command. The American military has approximately 900 troops stationed in Syria. However, these forces are spread over multiple bases in the country's northeastern part.

The leaked US document suggested that a Quds Force officer directed an Iraqi militia group on Feb. 13 to "embed weapons within legitimate earthquake aid." The assessment also implicated the "PMC chief of staff."

This was an apparent reference to a senior official with Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces, Abu Fadak Al-Mohammedawi. However, the PMC denied the claims that its affiliates had used humanitarian aid convoys to transport weapons to Syria, said the Washington Post.