Leaked Recordings Uncover Ex-Assad Officers’ Plot to Destabilize Syria, with Alleged Israeli Support

By Andrew Rose
America news world | December 31, 2025

An investigative report has exposed hours of leaked audio recordings featuring high-ranking officers from the fallen regime of Bashar al-Assad, detailing schemes to undermine Syria’s fragile stability and hints of coordination with Israel.

An Israeli army soldier holds a portrait of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad by a vehicle near the Druze village of Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights on December 14, 2025 photo credit -ALJAZEERA

The findings, derived from over 74 hours of recordings and numerous documents, will air on Al Jazeera’s *The Investigator* program this week. They spotlight Brigadier General Suheil al-Hassan, commander of the elite Tiger Forces unit, and reveal efforts to regroup, secure funding, and procure arms in the wake of al-Assad’s ouster one year ago.

In a particularly striking exchange, an unidentified source—described as a hacker or liaison—assures al-Hassan of robust Israeli assistance. “The State of Israel, with all its capabilities, will stand with you,” the source states.

Al-Hassan responds by referencing a higher-level contact: “There is a level higher than me; Mr. Rami is the one who coordinates. And I have dangerous intelligence information.”

The recordings emerge amid Syria’s turbulent transition following a swift rebel offensive led by now-President Ahmed al-Sharaa, which toppled the Assad family’s 54-year rule and sent the former leader into exile in Russia. In the ensuing chaos, Israel intensified its operations, launching more than 600 airstrikes, drone attacks, and artillery barrages—averaging nearly two per day—targeting Syrian military assets such as airports, air defenses, and fighter jets. Israel also expanded its control over the occupied Golan Heights and conducted strikes on Damascus as recently as July.

Another voice in the leaks, former Brigadier General Ghiath Dalla, endorses al-Hassan’s role as a voice for the regime’s core supporters in Syria’s coastal and mountainous regions. “My master, Suheil the Tiger, spoke the feeling of the whole mountain and the whole coast,” Dalla remarks.

Al-Hassan voices contempt for the post-Assad era, dubbing it “the flood.” He prays aloud: “Our prayers for you all are that this foolishness, this evil, and this blackness called the flood ends.”

The full investigation, hosted by Jamal el-Maliki, is slated for a complete release in mid-January, with excerpts available on Al Jazeera platforms starting Wednesday.

This disclosure aligns with prior reports of plotting within al-Assad’s inner circle from their Russian exile, including schemes by his former spy chief and a billionaire relative to incite armed unrest.

*Andrew Rose covers international affairs for America News World, with a focus on Middle East security and global conflicts.*