BBC News Bangla, Dhaka
December 11, 2024
Israel has intensified its military activities in the region following the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. It has "temporarily" taken control of the Golan Heights buffer zone and conducted multiple airstrikes across Syria.
According to Reuters, citing Syrian security sources, a contingent of Israeli troops advanced to within 25 kilometers of Damascus. However, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) dismissed claims of any such military movement toward the Syrian capital.
Reacting swiftly to Assad's ouster, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the development a "historic day for the Middle East." Despite his celebratory tone, he tempered expectations with a note of caution.
"Our desire is to establish neighborly and peaceful relations with the new powers in Syria. But if that is not possible, we will do whatever is necessary to protect Israel," Netanyahu said, signaling a conditional willingness to cooperate with Syria’s emerging leadership.
The political ramifications of Assad's removal have triggered intense debates about the future balance of power in the region. Analysts argue that the fall of the Assad regime, which ruled Syria for over five decades, could reshape Middle Eastern geopolitics.
BBC international editor Jeremy Bowen noted that both Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Joe Biden have claimed partial credit for Assad's fall. However, he suggested that their influence might have been more circumstantial than deliberate.
"Their policies played a role, but it was more by chance than by design," Bowen observed, adding that both nations might now benefit strategically from a weakened Iranian military communication and supply network.
The broader question remains: Does Israel find itself in a stronger position in the Middle East following these dramatic changes? While the potential for new alliances and reduced Iranian influence is significant, the region's instability may still pose enduring challenges to Israel's long-term security goals.
