Syria, officially known as the Syrian Arab Republic, is an Arab nation in the Middle East, situated in the Levant region. The country boasts a rich history and some of the oldest inhabited cities in the world.
In 1963, Syria's government was taken over by the Ba'ath Party, led by Hafez al-Assad. For decades, he and his son and successor, Bashar al-Assad, would rule the country in a reign that has been highly criticized for being totalitarian and for carrying out widespread human rights abuses.
In 2011, a major civil war broke out in Syria, leaving governance of the country fractured between the Russia- and Iran-backed Assad regime based in Syria's largest city and capital of Damascus, US-backed rebel groups led by the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Turkey-backed forces, and Islamists under the banner of Hay'at Tahir al-Shams (HTS).
However, in December 2024, HTS and its allies carried out a major offensive from their base of operations in the Idlib province, eventually fully ousting the Assad regime and seizing control of Damascus as well as other major cities such as Homs and Aleppo. Currently, HTS has been spearheading the establishment of a new Syrian interim government. However, the country still remains fractured between them, Assad loyalists, Turkey-backed forces, and the SDF and its allies.
Houthis fire missiles at Israel • IDF in Rafah area • IDF operates in West Bank • IDF strikes terrorist in Lebanon • Egyptian security delegation heads to Qatar for Gaza deal talks
Syria and Israel have the rare opportunity to reshape their relations and progress toward peace.
Hundreds of Gazans march in rare anti-Hamas protest • Katz, Zamir meet to work in cooperation following public clash
It's unclear if these operations will lead to calm or if it could backfire and lead to elements entering areas such as the Yarmouk Basin and threatening Israel.
The IDF confirmed that 'terrorists' in Syria fired upon their positions before soldiers returned fire, and IAF struck targets in the region.
Hamas publishes hostage video • IDF encircles Tel Sultan in new Gaza ground operations
Sa'ar to EU envoy: Israel is fighting the war of the free world • Security forces arrest 18 wanted persons in West Bank
That something similar could eventually be offered to the Kurds of Syria becomes a real possibility with the agreement reached between Sharaa and the SDF.
There is hope in eastern Syria that Kurdish politics could become more open to different Kurdish political parties.
The IDF said that these targets still had strategic military capabilities at the time of the attack.
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