Within days, they captured Aleppo province, completed control of Idlib, and are preparing to advance toward Hama.
These developments draw attention not only to regional politics, but also to Israel’s interests, writes Alexey Zheleznov with reference to blogger Abu Ali.
Syria: a key element of the “Shiite Crescent”
To understand the importance of Syria, just look at the map of the “Shiite Crescent”, a chain of states under the influence of Iran, from Tehran to Beirut. Syria plays a central role in this corridor, connecting Iran to Lebanon, where Hezbollah is based, and sharing a land border with Israel.
Following the outbreak of civil war in Syria in 2011, Iran took advantage of Assad’s weakening and effectively took control of the country. In 2015-2016, Iranian support, along with Russian intervention, saved the Syrian regime from collapse. Since then, Iran has been using Syrian territory to transport weapons to Lebanon, station militants on the Israeli border and control weapons production.
Syria is a strategic center through which Iran builds its plans to surround Israel with real threats from the north and east. If the Shiite Crescent were shattered, Lebanon would be isolated and Hezbollah would lose a vital supply route.
Sunnis versus Shiites: revenge for the civil war
The Sunni rebels leading the offensive in Syria have historically opposed the Shiites. However, recent decades of brutal civil war have intensified this hatred, especially due to atrocities committed by Shiite militias backed by Iran and Hezbollah.
Now the Syrian rebels see their task as expelling the Shiites from Syrian territory. If they manage to do so, Iran’s strategy of creating a continuous “Shiite Crescent” will be in jeopardy. This will be a major strategic success for Israel.
Why is this beneficial for Israel?
Although the Sunni rebels are not allies of Israel, their opposition to the Shiites coincides with Israeli interests. If they succeed, Iran will lose influence in Syria and Hezbollah will have difficulty rebuilding its strength.
Particularly important is control of the Homs region, which borders Lebanon, and which the rebels could attack after Hama.
Perspectives
In the current situation, it is beneficial for Israel for the Sunnis to oppose the Shiites. While they lack sympathy for Israel, their opposition to Iran and Hezbollah opens opportunities to weaken regional threats.
Other developments will require careful analysis, but current dynamics already point to strategic shifts that could benefit Israel.
Previously, Kursor reported on what Israel fears in the context of events in Syria.
