A New Middle East Battlefield Is Emerging
For years, Iran was Israel's biggest military threat in Syria, building proxy networks, supplying Hezbollah, and turning Syria into a frontline against Israel.
But as Iran's influence weakens after a series of setbacks, Israel is beginning to focus on a new rival. Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen said Israel will not accept Turkish military bases in Syria and warned that if Ankara establishes bases there, Israel will establish its own as well. The statement shows that Israel does not want any country replacing Iran as the dominant military power in Syria.
Türkiye currently holds an advantage. Ankara was one of Ahmad al-Sharaa's most important backers before he came to power, making Syria more likely to prioritize cooperation with Türkiye.
Yet Syria's future will depend not only on Israel and Türkiye, but also on how Ahmad al-Sharaa balances the interests of the regional players, especially the United States. If he fails to manage that balance, Syria could emerge from one civil war only to become the stage for a new confrontation between Israel and Türkiye.
In the Middle East, lasting peace exists only when one power is strong enough to impose order. Otherwise, struggles for power repeat themselves.
#Israel #Turkey #Syria #MiddleEast #USA
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