The newly appointed rebel leaders in Syria are confronting the formidable challenge of unifying a fractured nation—despite the ousting of the Assad regime, hostilities persist across the country.
In northern Syria, opposition fighters supported by Turkey continue their skirmishes against Kurdish forces allied with the US, while both Israel and the United States have launched airstrikes in Syria today. Additionally, there remains ambiguity regarding two Russian military bases.
President Bashar al Assad departed Damascus with his family early Sunday, and their location was undisclosed until Russian state media confirmed their asylum in Moscow was granted “on humanitarian grounds.”
Read further: Recent developments in Syria
Reports have also indicated that the Kremlin has forged an agreement with Syria’s rebel leadership to safeguard its bases within the country, coinciding with Mr. Assad’s relocation to Russia.
Moscow, a firm supporter of the Assad regime, maintains the tactically crucial Hmeimim airbase located in Syria’s Latakia province, along with a naval facility in Tartous, which serves as its only Mediterranean resupply and repair station.
A satellite image depicts the Russia-controlled Hmeimim Air Base. Pic: Reuters
Despite the agreement, some Russian military commentators have expressed that the conditions surrounding the bases remain precarious.
‘Rybar’, a military blogger aligned with the Russian defense ministry, remarked: “Russia’s military footprint in the Middle East is precariously positioned.”
“Decisions made in elite circles hold little relevance on the ground.”
According to Rybar, Russian naval vessels have vacated Tartous and assumed positions at sea due to security concerns.
The account—boasting over 1.3 million followers on Telegram—also claimed that the Hmeimim airbase has effectively been isolated following rebels seizing control of an adjacent town. However, Rybar’s assertions remain unverified.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs downplayed any imminent threats to its bases, yet Sky News reported that both are currently on “high alert,” and Moscow is monitoring developments with “utmost concern.”
Smoke rises from Syria while people cross the Lebanese-Syrian border at Arida. Pic: Reuters
Israel and the US conduct airstrikes in Syria
In the meantime, Israel and the US have executed separate airstrikes in Syria following the downfall of Assad’s regime.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported that its forces executed multiple strikes on Islamic State positions in central Syria to prevent the group from exploiting the ongoing chaos.
A senior official from the Biden administration indicated that the US is prioritizing the security of chemical weapons controlled by the regime.
Although there will be no involvement of US ground troops, the official articulated that the United States would aim to maintain the security of chemical weapon stockpiles within the nation—previously utilized against rebels—but did not divulge specifics on how this would be achieved.
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What are the impacts of Assad’s fall?
In parallel, Israel executed three airstrikes targeting a significant security compound and a research facility in Damascus, according to two regional security sources who provided information to Reuters.
Israeli sources claimed that the facility was utilized by Iranian scientists for missile development. Later in the day, smoke could be observed rising over Damascus, although the cause remained unclear.
There have also been military engagements along the Israel-Syria border.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he had instructed Israeli forces to capture a buffer zone in the Golan Heights, established under a 1974 ceasefire agreement.
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Mr. Netanyahu asserted that the measure was essential to “ensure the safety of all Israeli communities in the Golan Heights” following the withdrawal of Syrian forces from their positions in the region.
The Golan area was captured by Israel during the 1967 Middle East conflict and was later annexed. The global community, apart from the US, regards it as occupied territory.
