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Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rocket fire from Syria meets recalibrated Israeli deterrence
The massacres took place in the south, with Hamas terrorists invading from Gaza. How is October 7 connected to rockets fired from Syria? At first glance, Defense Minister Israel Katz's reaction to the firing of two rockets from Syria onto the Golan Heights on Tuesday evening seemed incongruous: 'We hold the president of Syria directly responsible for any threat and [rocket] firing toward the State of Israel, and the full response will come soon. We will not allow a return to the reality of October 7.' The first part is understandable. But the second? What October 7 reality was he referring to on the Golan? The massacres took place in the South, with Hamas terrorists invading from Gaza. How is that connected to rockets fired from Syria? Simple. Before October 7, Israel's security doctrine was one of containment, of not rocking the boat, of turning a blind eye at provocations along its borders. Hamas flies incendiary balloons into Israeli territory, setting fields alight? Let it go; it's not worth starting a war. Hezbollah provocatively pitches tents in your sovereign territory, as it did in spring 2023? Let it go; deal with it diplomatically. Don't escalate, don't endanger the tourism season in the North. That changed on October 7. One of the consequences of that day was the collapse of the assumption that small provocations can be safely ignored. Had that mindset still been in place, Israel's reaction to the two rockets from Syria that fell in open fields near Ramat Magshimim might have been: no harm, no foul. No injuries, no damage, no response. But no longer. Though Syria was the one front where Israel took forceful preemptive measures even before October 7 – mainly to stop Iran from turning it into a launchpad – Katz's message signals something broader: Israel will no longer tolerate even minor provocations from any direction. And, so, the IDF responded not only with artillery at the source of the fire near Tasil, about 12 km. from the border, but also with a wide wave of airstrikes across southern Syria. Weapons depots, linked to the new Syrian regime, were hit. The response was far more than perfunctory. And it did so even though US President Donald Trump has signaled that he wants to give Syria's new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, a chance to stabilize his country. Even though the move risked further international opprobrium. And even though tensions were already high between Israel and Turkey – Sharaa's main patron and a country eager to leave its mark on post-Assad Syria What makes the reaction more striking is the timing. About 20 minutes after the rockets from Syria were launched, sirens sounded across central Israel, triggered by a Houthi missile launched from Yemen. That missile, too, was intercepted, but the convergence of threats from Syria and Yemen within the span of half an hour demonstrated the multi-front security reality Israel remains up against. And yet, while Israel responded swiftly to the rocket fire from Syria, there was no immediate retaliation against the Houthis for their latest launch. This contrast is striking. Over the past few months, Israel has carried out a number of forceful strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen – including hitting the main Houthi sea ports and crippling Sanaa International Airport. Still, the missile fire from Yemen continues. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has acknowledged this reality, saying publicly that the Houthis' time will also come. For now, however, Israel is choosing its timing carefully. Syria is a particularly sensitive front. The Assad regime collapsed in December 2024. Sharaa has a very checkered past, to say the least: once a senior figure in the Nusra Front, with ties to al-Qaeda and a $10 million US bounty on his head, he is now trying to rebrand himself as a moderate statesman. Trump, seeking post-Assad stability, has embraced him, even removing Syria-related sanctions. Sharaa is now scheduled to address the UN General Assembly this September, marking the first time a Syrian leader has done so in nearly 60 years. His personal story intersects with Israel's strategic concerns. Born in Riyadh to a family originally from the Golan Heights, Sharaa has a stake – both symbolic and possibly political – in that territory. His new government claims it wants calm and is trying to rein in armed groups in southern Syria: the Syrian Foreign Ministry said after Tuesday night's attack that it 'has and will not pose a threat to any party in the region.' Yet, the ministry also said it could not confirm who fired the rockets at Israel, an acknowledgment that reveals a deeper problem: a government still struggling to exert full control. Israel's response signaled to the new government, however, that it better exert control fast, or else it will pay the price for the failure to do so. Israel also made clear it holds the Syrian regime responsible for anything that comes from its territory. That's a strategic decision, and a shift from the past. It says: don't tell us you're not in control – if rockets are fired, you will pay the price. There is also a question of broader strategic messaging. By responding forcefully and quickly, Israel is also speaking to other regional actors watching closely – Hezbollah in Lebanon, Iran looking to reassert itself in Syria, and Hamas operatives attempting to regroup. The message is clear: Israeli deterrence is no longer passive or conditional. Every act of aggression, no matter how seemingly limited or small, will be met with real consequences. Katz's statement about not returning to the October 7 reality had nothing to do with geography and everything to do with mindset. The old mindset accepted provocations at the cost of avoiding escalation. The new mindset says the cost of ignoring provocations is far higher. This new doctrine has been evident in Israel's actions on the Lebanese front as well. Since the ceasefire went into effect there in November, the IDF has responded swiftly to Hezbollah violations, no longer relying on useless complaints to UNIFIL or diplomatic protests. A similar shift is now being applied in Syria. That has broader implications. Syria's new regime, despite its public moderation, cannot expect a grace period from Israel if its territory is used to launch attacks. For Sharaa, that presents a dilemma: he needs calm to consolidate power and build international legitimacy, but he does not yet have the ability to deliver that calm. Israel, meanwhile, will not wait. The airstrikes in response to the rocket fire on the Golan were a warning – and a statement of policy. Jerusalem will not allow its enemies to test its restraint. Not anymore. October 7 shattered illusions of deterrence and exposed the consequences of underestimating minor threats. In response, Israel is recalibrating. That recalibration extends everywhere. It's a new game.
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Opinion - After years of war, Syria glances westward — toward Trump
President Trump has announced the beginning of sanctions being lifted on Syria, which had been imposed during the genocidal rule of Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian people and their new leadership deserve a chance to rebuild their great nation. While the sanctions were still in place, the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity invited us to visit post-Assad Syria at a very tenuous moment for the Syrian people. We agreed and set off on an open-minded, fact-finding mission. What we saw was daunting, but we ultimately we came away cautiously optimistic. When we arrived in Damascus, we observed grown men openly weeping and others cheering as they saw their homeland for the first time in decades. For centuries, Syria had boasted a diverse, multicultural population, until the 54-year reign of the Assad regime. Assad leveled entire villages while waging war on his political enemies, inflicting billions of dollars of damage on his own country. In this political genocide, Assad murdered close to a million of his own people — Christians, Muslims, Kurds and Druze alike, regardless of religion — all while using military aid and financial support from Russia and Iran. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Iranian activities being curtailed through sanctions and the degradation of their terrorist proxies, support that had been vital to Assad's reign dissipated. He was ultimately forced to flee to Russia as rebel forces advanced, although he regrettably was able to pilfer additional billions from the nation's coffers on his way out the door. During our visit, we witnessed the devastated Syrian economy, where cash is almost worthless and credit cards are not accepted. Open-air markets resort to basic barter and trade for items like clothing and necessities, which are laid out next to rubble. With no functioning gas stations, young men with large hand-held jugs stand along the road to fill vehicles for a price negotiated on the spot. Despite this, the spirit of the Syrian people is not broken. Banners reading 'Make Syria Great Again' were displayed along the roads, sending messages of hope for the first time in decades. We heard nothing but admiration for President Trump and his administration — most notably for his decision to stop the bombing of Idlib in 2019. We then met individually with Syria's new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, well aware of his previous history as a Syrian Al-Qaeda member, though having cut ties in 2016. However, contrary to his biography, the actions al-Sharaa has taken to help the country so far have been positive. Al-Sharaa has enlisted an impressive and diverse group of Syrian advisors, some of whom had fled the country years ago to escape Assad. His Minister of Social and Labor Affairs, Hind Kabawat, is an accomplished Christian woman, and not a choice one would expect from someone with prior ties to al-Qaeda. Just as surprising, one of al-Sharaa's first acts upon taking power was to free thousands of Syrians that Assad had imprisoned and tortured. Al-Sharaa has declared a return to religious freedom, and during our visit, we witnessed a huge gathering of the Christian population for the first public celebration of Easter held in decades. In our meetings, al-Sharaa expressed a desire to work with the West. He called Israel by name and simultaneously emphasized his desire to promote peace and even possibly join the Abraham Accords. His commitment to avoid the often alluring proxy relationship with Iran is a testament to his desire to find more favorable partners. America is accustomed to being asked for funds and military support, but al-Sharaa wants Syrians defending Syria. His main request was for sanctions relief and for Syria not to be divided into regions. This is not only good for Syria, but a more stable western-leaning Syria provides a new layer of protection for America's ally to the south, Israel. He expressed the importance of having democratic elections, welcoming tourists of all faiths, and creating new trade routes, pointing to the country's strategic location and its ability to allow faster transit of products to the West. He emphasized the necessity for post-conflict Syria to have an economic partner, pointing out that Russia has already made an offer, in addition to others like China and Iran making overtures; however, al-Sharaa has not yet accepted these. His clear preference is to make the U.S. the preferential trade partner, an opportunity Syria finally has for the first time in over 50 years. Hearing al-Sharaa and the Syrian government express an interest in being a stabilizing force in the region for peace and prosperity is a moment in time we must consider carefully, and why we applaud President Trump's decision to lift the sanctions on a war-weary Syria. For accountability, we also believe al-Sharaa must be willing to accept international investigations into the treatment of Syria's religious minorities. When a new leader opens the doors to his country without restriction while still weakened from decades of dictatorial destruction, and when he promotes religious freedom while simply asking for a chance to open trade with the West, we should explore what might be possible. We believe huge investments are waiting to rebuild this great nation. With Trump at the helm, this could be a monumental moment for unexpected peace in the Middle East. Cory Mills represents the Florida's 7th Congressional District and is a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees. Marlin Stutzman represents Indiana's 3rd Congressional District. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
05-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
After years of war, Syria glances westward — toward Trump
President Trump has announced the beginning of sanctions being lifted on Syria, which had been imposed during the genocidal rule of Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian people and their new leadership deserve a chance to rebuild their great nation. While the sanctions were still in place, the Syrian American Alliance for Peace and Prosperity invited us to visit post-Assad Syria at a very tenuous moment for the Syrian people. We agreed and set off on an open-minded, fact-finding mission. What we saw was daunting, but we ultimately we came away cautiously optimistic. When we arrived in Damascus, we observed grown men openly weeping and others cheering as they saw their homeland for the first time in decades. For centuries, Syria had boasted a diverse, multicultural population, until the 54-year reign of the Assad regime. Assad leveled entire villages while waging war on his political enemies, inflicting billions of dollars of damage on his own country. In this political genocide, Assad murdered close to a million of his own people — Christians, Muslims, Kurds and Druze alike, regardless of religion — all while using military aid and financial support from Russia and Iran. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine and Iranian activities being curtailed through sanctions and the degradation of their terrorist proxies, support that had been vital to Assad's reign dissipated. He was ultimately forced to flee to Russia as rebel forces advanced, although he regrettably was able to pilfer additional billions from the nation's coffers on his way out the door. During our visit, we witnessed the devastated Syrian economy, where cash is almost worthless and credit cards are not accepted. Open-air markets resort to basic barter and trade for items like clothing and necessities, which are laid out next to rubble. With no functioning gas stations, young men with large hand-held jugs stand along the road to fill vehicles for a price negotiated on the spot. Despite this, the spirit of the Syrian people is not broken. Banners reading 'Make Syria Great Again' were displayed along the roads, sending messages of hope for the first time in decades. We heard nothing but admiration for President Trump and his administration — most notably for his decision to stop the bombing of Idlib in 2019. We then met individually with Syria's new president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, well aware of his previous history as a Syrian Al-Qaeda member, though having cut ties in 2016. However, contrary to his biography, the actions al-Sharaa has taken to help the country so far have been positive. Al-Sharaa has enlisted an impressive and diverse group of Syrian advisors, some of whom had fled the country years ago to escape Assad. His Minister of Social and Labor Affairs, Hind Kabawat, is an accomplished Christian woman, and not a choice one would expect from someone with prior ties to al-Qaeda. Just as surprising, one of al-Sharaa's first acts upon taking power was to free thousands of Syrians that Assad had imprisoned and tortured. Al-Sharaa has declared a return to religious freedom, and during our visit, we witnessed a huge gathering of the Christian population for the first public celebration of Easter held in decades. In our meetings, al-Sharaa expressed a desire to work with the West. He called Israel by name and simultaneously emphasized his desire to promote peace and even possibly join the Abraham Accords. His commitment to avoid the often alluring proxy relationship with Iran is a testament to his desire to find more favorable partners. America is accustomed to being asked for funds and military support, but al-Sharaa wants Syrians defending Syria. His main request was for sanctions relief and for Syria not to be divided into regions. This is not only good for Syria, but a more stable western-leaning Syria provides a new layer of protection for America's ally to the south, Israel. He expressed the importance of having democratic elections, welcoming tourists of all faiths, and creating new trade routes, pointing to the country's strategic location and its ability to allow faster transit of products to the West. He emphasized the necessity for post-conflict Syria to have an economic partner, pointing out that Russia has already made an offer, in addition to others like China and Iran making overtures; however, al-Sharaa has not yet accepted these. His clear preference is to make the U.S. the preferential trade partner, an opportunity Syria finally has for the first time in over 50 years. Hearing al-Sharaa and the Syrian government express an interest in being a stabilizing force in the region for peace and prosperity is a moment in time we must consider carefully, and why we applaud President Trump's decision to lift the sanctions on a war-weary Syria. For accountability, we also believe al-Sharaa must be willing to accept international investigations into the treatment of Syria's religious minorities. When a new leader opens the doors to his country without restriction while still weakened from decades of dictatorial destruction, and when he promotes religious freedom while simply asking for a chance to open trade with the West, we should explore what might be possible. We believe huge investments are waiting to rebuild this great nation. With Trump at the helm, this could be a monumental moment for unexpected peace in the Middle East. Cory Mills represents the Florida's 7th Congressional District and is a member of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees. Marlin Stutzman represents Indiana's 3rd Congressional District.
Gulf Insider
01-06-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Israel Launches Major Airstrikes On Syria's Coast For 1st Time In Nearly A Month
Israel has attacked Syria for the first time in nearly a month. The last known airstrikes were May 3rd, but on Friday night major strikes rocked Syria's coastal area. State news agency SANA says that one civilian was killed 'as a result of an Israeli occupation airstrike targeting the vicinity of Zama'. Social media videos showed large fireballs lighting up the night sky. The Israeli military offered quick and rare confirmation that it had 'struck weapon storage facilities containing coastal missiles that posed a threat to international and Israeli maritime freedom of navigation, in the Latakia area of Syria.' Huge spoke plumes were seen over Tartus in the strike aftermath, and it should be noted that the coastal city is also home to Russia's lone Mediterranean naval base, which has yet to be completely packed up amid negotiations with the new Jolani regime. 'In addition, components of surface-to-air missiles were struck,' the Israeli military (IDF) statement further stated, vowing that the IDF will 'continue to operate to maintain freedom of action in the region, in order to carry out its missions and will act to remove any threat to the State of Israel and its citizens.' The irony of the timing is that the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) government has been teasing the possibility of peace and normalization with Israel, despite Israeli forces currently occupying large swathes of southern Syria, even well beyond the Golan Heights. The new post-Assad government has mostly shrugged off the Israeli attacks, which soon after Assad's ouster came in the hundreds, as Tel Aviv sought to destroy any and all military hardware left by the former Syrian Arab Army. Israel bombed Syria's naval defences a few hours ago. Not a single word of condemnation from the new regime, who continues to beg for normalisation. The 'revolution' was fought by those who want to surrendering to Israel and against those who fight it. — Syrian Girl (@Partisangirl) May 31, 2025 Tensions have been rising between Israel and Turkey over the 'spoils' in Syria. Turkey's military has sought to set up anti-air defenses for the new regime, reportedly in the center of the country – in Palmyra – which Israel has tried to thwart through bombing raids. Prior to Assad's ouster, Israel said it repeatedly bombed Syria for 'counter-Iran' operations, but at this point the divide-and-rule policy of keeping Syria as weak and fractured as possible has certainly become more clear.
Los Angeles Times
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Islamic State group claims first attack on Syrian government forces since Assad's fall
BEIRUT — The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for two attacks in southern Syria, including one on government forces that an opposition war monitor described as the first on the Syrian army to be carried out by the extremists since the fall of Bashar Assad. IS said in a statement on Thursday that in one attack, a bomb targeting a 'vehicle of the apostate regime' detonated, leaving seven soldiers dead or wounded. It said the attack occurred 'last Thursday,' or May 22, in the al-Safa area in the desert of the southern province of Sweida. In a separate statement, the group said another bomb attack occurred this week in a nearby area, targeting members of the U.S.-backed Free Syrian Army. It claimed that it killed one fighter and wounded three. There was no comment from the government on the claims. A spokesperson for the Free Syrian Army didn't immediately respond to a request for comment by the Associated Press. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack on government forces killed one civilian and wounded three soldiers, describing it as the first such attack to be claimed by IS against Syrian forces since the 54-year rule by the Assad family ended in December. IS, which once controlled large parts of Syria and Iraq, is opposed to the new authority in Damascus led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa, who was once the head of al Qaeda's branch in Syria and fought battles against IS. Over the past several months, IS has claimed responsibility for attacks against the U.S.-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces in the northeast. IS was defeated in Syria in March 2019 when SDF fighters captured the last sliver of land that the extremists controlled. Since then, its sleeper cells have carried out deadly attacks, mainly in eastern and northeast Syria. In January, state media reported that intelligence officials in Syria's post-Assad government thwarted a plan by IS to set off a bomb at a Shiite Muslim shrine south of Damascus. Al-Sharaa met with President Trump in Saudi Arabia earlier this month, when the American leader said that Washington would work on lifting crippling economic sanctions imposed on Damascus since the days of Assad. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement after the meeting that Trump urged al-Sharaa to diplomatically recognize Israel, 'tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria' and help the U.S. stop any resurgence of the Islamic State group. Mroue writes for the Associated Press.
