The U.S. and Israel are working to keep Syrian weapons from terrorists

The Assad regime in Syria fell fast to rebel groups this week, marking the end of the 53-year family dictatorship. The U.S. and Israeli militaries have been striking a multitude of targets in the country as both nations work to ensure that large weapons and munitions caches do not fall into the hands of terrorist groups. The United States launched over 75 airstrikes  on December 8th against Islamic State positions in central Syria, targeting camps and leadership figures to weaken the group’s resurgence. Simultaneously, Israel focused on chemical weapons sites to prevent these materials from being seized by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the terrorist organization that led the offensive against Assad. These coordinated actions underscore the urgency of securing former regime stockpiles and denying extremist groups access to strategic arsenals, who could use these resources to implement a severe Islamist state, persecute minorities, and attack Israel. The U.S. and Israel have pledged to collaborate with international bodies and regional allies to manage the fallout of Assad’s collapse and prevent further destabilization. The turmoil in Syria is, in part, a domino effect of Russia’s war in Ukraine and Iran’s war against Israel, all of which have significant implications for global politics and security.

SOURCE Philos Project