Part 8/11:
Israel aims to preserve a strategic aerial corridor to Iran, maintaining the option for future strikes against Tehran’s regional military assets. Ongoing strikes against Syrian military targets hint at a broader regional chess game, with the U.S. playing a subtle diplomatic role, including back-channel discussions with Damascus.
Though Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and newly influential President Ahmed al-Shar hint at peace possibilities, the inherent asymmetry and mistrust make a swift resolution unlikely. Damascus seeks stability, but Israel’s demands and regional tensions continue to complicate meaningful breakthroughs.