Israel security cabinet convenes over Syrian rebel advance
Salafi terror group Hayat Tahrir a-Sham have taken massive swathes of territory from the Assad regime, with new threats and new opporunities on the horizon
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened an emergency security cabinet meeting on the developments in Syria over the weekend. This comes as Syrian rebels, led by the salafi terror group Hayat Tahrir a-Sham, have taken massive swathes of territory from the Assad regime.
Israeli media reported that the emerging situation presented both security challenges and opportunities for Israel. Iran and Lebanese Hezbollah, allied with President Bashar al-Assad, took a major hit with the anti-goverment forces' offensive.
Currently in an uneasy ceasefire with Israel in Lebanon, Hezbollah is forced to deploy forces to Syria to assist Assad. This lowers the risk of serious ceasefire violations in Lebanon as the Lebanese army takes position south of the Litani.
Russia, also a major ally of Assad, is pressuring Turkey, which is linked to groups under the Hayat Tahrir a-Sham coalition, to curb the rebels. Moscow fired the general in charge of operations in Syria on Sunday in a shuffle of the top brass to assist Assad.
"The collapse of the Syrian regime could create chaos," intelligence officials warned political leaders, with Assad holding chemical weapons. This situation could lead to the emergence of new military threats against Israel.
On the other hand, the Assad regime may also open its doors to Iranian and Iranian-allied reinforcements from the east.