... closely linked; it would not be an exaggeration to say that December 2024 has become a direct, albeit postponed in time, continuation of October 2023. Without the successful Israeli efforts to weaken both the Lebanese Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the swift implosion of the Syrian regime would have been impossible. However, the likely impact of the regime change in Damascus will undoubtedly have much broader implications than just a shift of power balance between Israel and Iran in favor ...
Will Russia continue its “business as usual” aimed at maintaining the existing status-quo or will it be forced to review and to revise its positions towards Israel, Palestinians, Iran and its main partners in the Arab world?
The spectacular comeback of Donald Trump to the White House will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the US overall international positioning, as well as on specific dimensions of the US approaches to ...
... allies who were assisting Israel in the Doomsday War. The member-states of this Organization used economic tools to influence Israel's allies and support Egypt and Syria in the conflict with Israel. Such actions notably contrasted with the state of Iranian-Israeli relations, which were quite constructive until the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Ivan Bocharov:
Conflict in the Middle East: Possible Regional Implications
Much has changed since then; Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Egypt have ...
... Nasrallah. In turn, on the evening of October 1, Tehran responded by launching a mass missile attack on Israel.
The fighting in the conflict zone between Israel and Hezbollah is far from over. In addition, it is reported that Israel is preparing to strike Iran. The continuation of the fighting and the uncertainty over a possible Israeli response makes it very difficult to discern possible regional implications. Too much depends on the scale of Israel’s operation in Lebanon: the behavior of non-state ...
... major regional conflict. The military operation of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in the Gaza Strip was to be followed by fierce hostilities in the West Bank, then by a large-scale border clash between Israel and Lebanon, and, finally, by an Israeli–Iranian war, which had been looming on the political horizon for years and was literally just a step away, with the likely involvement of several key regional and global actors, including the United States.
Andrey Kortunov:
When “Iron Swords” Return ...
... overdue and predictable, regardless of triggers similar to the “Kayseri incident”. For more than 13 years of the Syrian crisis, a tangled web of foreign policy contradictions has emerged between Ankara and Damascus due to the involvement of Russia, Iran, the United States and the GCC monarchies in the conflict. These were almost immediately compounded by domestic political issues: the Turkish “protectorate” in northern Syria with a military presence unauthorized by the central Syrian authorities,...
... Israel seeks to cause internal disarray within Hamas, diminish its symbolic significance, and sow fear among its supporters. The political implications of this assassination extend to the regional power struggle. Haniyeh's assassination, particularly on Iranian soil, can be interpreted as a direct challenge to Iran's support for Hamas. It underscores the ongoing proxy conflict between Israel and Iran, highlighting Israel's determination to counter Iranian influence in the region. This operation is not ...
... States will support its ally. At the same time, the U.S. is making efforts to preclude this war.
Is Hezbollah interested in intensifying hostilities? Opinions differ on this point. Hezbollah is one of Israel’s main adversaries, all the more so because Iran is backing it. That being said, Hezbollah is deeply integrated into Lebanon’s political landscape. It is not a full-fledged non-state actor as the movement is represented in both the Lebanese government and parliament. Furthermore, Hezbollah has ...
Recent developments indicate improving Syrian-Turkish relations, aiming for regional stability, security cooperation and economic partnerships
Over the past years, Syrian-Turkish relations have experienced significant fluctuations, ranging from tension and hostility to recent attempts at normalization. Some signs suggest a mutual desire to enhance relations, evident in meetings at various levels, notably involving intelligence agency directors and foreign ministers.
Ilya Vedeneyev:
Syria–Turkey...
... completely dismantled. Azerbaijan became the second state after Russia to integrate the secessionist territory, although the mode of how Karabakh and Chechnya got incorporated significantly
differ
.
The change in the status quo also contributed to Iran’s notable invigoration. Two Eurasian giants, China and India, have also adopted a higher profile in the Caucasus. With the start of Russia’s military operation in Ukraine in February 2022, the U.S., the EU (and France in particular) along with ...
