Syria Seizes Smuggled Consignment of Missiles With Chinese MJ-4 Warheads

The Syrian government has seized its largest shipment of weapons, including Chinese-made munitions, that was intended for smuggling to Lebanon.

Qalaat Al Mudiq published the report on X.

According to the account, the Syrian Interior Ministry discovered and seized 200 missiles for the BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket system.

The weapons were stored in the Qussair area of southwestern Homs province. Although the current Syrian government does not officially use these missiles, the Assad regime previously deployed them.

Along with the missiles, Chinese-made MJ-4 warheads were found. The markings on the detonators indicate that they were produced in 1991.

They may be remnants of Assad-era stockpiles, but the extensive use of missiles during the civil war, combined with repeated seizures and destruction of arsenals, makes it unlikely that such a large cache remained intact.

A more probable scenario is smuggling: the missiles may have been delivered to Syria as transit cargo for transfer to militant or illicit groups.

On July 22, a large Syrian army ammunition depot exploded in Idlib province near the Idlib–Maarat Misrin highway.

A day later, on July 23, a similar blast was recorded in Homs province.

The mishandling of ammunition may have been the cause of the explosions.

However, sabotage by armed groups opposed to the Syrian government or possible Israeli action cannot be ruled out.