Syria collapse: Turkiye wins, Israel on alert!

Syria collapse: Turkiye wins, Israel on alert!

A dramatic change of power in the Middle East: Turkiye triumphs, Israel fears for the future!

After 54 years of ruthless rule, the al-Assad family regime in Syria has collapsed! On December 8, Bashar al-Assad fled his country and sought asylum in Russia. The fall of one of the most brutal regimes in modern history came after just 12 days of bitter fighting between the Syrian army and a coalition of opposition forces, ending Syria's 13-year civil war.

The Syrian conflict has claimed over 350,000 lives and displaced at least 13 million people. The al-Assad regime's brutal repression turned a peaceful revolution into an internationalized civil war in which Russia, Iran, Turkiye and the USA were the main players.

A geopolitical earthquake

The collapse of the regime will fundamentally change the geopolitical map of the region. Syria, which had diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union since 1944 and remained a loyal ally throughout the 1970s, has now lost its strategic importance. The close ties with Iran, which have existed since 1979, are also at risk. For Iran, the loss of the al-Assad regime means the loss of a crucial pillar of its “Shiite Crescent” – a sphere of influence stretching from Afghanistan to the Mediterranean.

With al-Assad's escape, Iran has not only lost a key ally, but also its ability to support Hezbollah and project its influence in Lebanon and beyond. The geopolitical cards are being reshuffled, and Iran may be forced to withdraw or intensify its efforts to develop a nuclear weapon to compensate for its weakened position.

Turkiye as winners

In contrast, Turkiye emerged as a resounding victor from the 14-year civil war! The country has undermined the position of its rivals and can now exert influence over a territorial corridor connecting Europe and the Gulf through Syria. While the United States and the European Union celebrate the overthrow of al-Assad as a decisive blow against Russia and Iran, they hope it will also help resolve their refugee crises by allowing Syrian citizens to voluntarily return to their country.

But the news of al-Assad's fall was greeted with mixed feelings in Israel. On the one hand, Israel is celebrating the weakening of the Iranian-led alliance, which could consolidate Israeli dominance in the Levant. On the other hand, the Israeli government is concerned about the new political power in Damascus, which is likely to show greater solidarity with the Palestinians. This explains why the Israeli army launched a massive air offensive across Syria to destroy its strategic weapons reserves, fearing they could be used against Israel.

The fall of al-Assad and the resulting regional realignment could dramatically change the balance of power in the Middle East. We will only understand the full impact in the coming years!