Israel launches major airstrikes against Syria and has occupied part of the country.

 

Israeli tanks near the Golan Heights. AP.

Israel has launched major airstrikes at military targets in Syria after the fall of Basha al-Assad and has occupied parts of the country. AP. Israel said they are creating a "buffer zone" between Syria and Israel. They have also launched hundreds of air strikes, destroying military stockpiles, anti-air weapons, airfields and military factories. They have also completely destroyed Syria's Navy. Israel's advances into Syria have caused concern as they are only 25 miles from the capital of Damascus itself. The new transitional government of Syria, led by the former al-Qaeda affiliate HTS, formally known as al-Nusra, has not commented on the attacks and occupation. 

My Comment:

Israel's goals here appear similar to Russia's goals in Ukraine. They are determined that Syria will never be a threat to them again and working to demilitarize the entire country. Israel appears to be attempting to destroy Syria's ability to launch a war against them and they are taking territory, which they will probably not ever give back, so that they have an even larger buffer zone between them and Syria. 

This is not a surprise at all. Israel has long launched strikes in Syria and the Golan Heights is former Syrian territory. This was always going to happen and I doubt Syria will be the only one to do so. Both Turkey and the United States have de facto power over large swaths of Syrian territory and I am guessing that both will also expand their actions in Syria in their own interests. In our case it will be controlling the economy of Syria while targeting ISIS while Turkey will be targeting the Kurds. 

What is surprising is how HTS isn't doing a thing about it. Not that there is much they can do, they do not really have control over the Syrian military and their anti-air defenses were in shambles even before HTS took over. But you would think they would at least make a formal protest or maybe send some troops to at least keep an eye on the Israeli units in their territory. 

Instead, as far as I can tell, they have done less than nothing. That is going to raise concerns to conspiracy minded people that may think that Israel may have had something to do with the success of the Jihadis. I don't know if I would go that far but it is clear that neither side is really trying to pick a fight with each other. 

Israel is probably the biggest winner after Turkey in the collapse of the Assad regime. Syria was semi-hostile to Israel and was allies with both Iran and Hezbollah, but now they are gone. Hezbollah will now lose their land supply route through Syria which is hugely damaging to them and a big win for Israel. It's also a major loss of face for Iran as well. 

But I think it may very well backfire on them. HTS are obvious extremists and after they are done consolidating power they will likely revert to their terrorist ways. And ISIS too has a chance of regrouping in the country as well. If either side wants to they should be able to threaten Israel with state level resources, despite the fact that their country has now been largely demilitarized. They have a religious state next to them that calls for their destruction, and who could be a much more immediate threat than Iran ever was...