Five suspects were arrested in Damascus, Syria, after an attempted assassination of Rabbi Michael Khoury was, b’chasdei Hashem, thwarted, local authorities reported Saturday.

The terror cell responsible for the plot is believed to be affiliated with Hezbollah.

According to a statement from the Syrian interior ministry, security personnel intervened after observing a woman attempting to plant an explosive device outside a residence in the Bab Touma neighborhood of the capital. The bomb was successfully dismantled and neutralized before it could be detonated.

Following the discovery of the device, all five members of the cell were taken into custody.

The ministry noted that preliminary investigations revealed the group’s connection to Hezbollah and indicated that the suspects had received specialized military training abroad.

While official Syrian government reports referred to the intended target only as a religious figure, the Kan public broadcaster later confirmed that the explosive was placed at the residence of Rabbi Khoury.