Thanks to the survival of the Bashar al-Assad regime, Iran has established a permanent position in Syria. From this position, Tehran spreads its influence in the eastern Mediterranean and assists other malevolent actors, such as Lebanese Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
In a new essay, Israeli Middle East analyst Ehud Yaari cites these factors, among others, as proof that Israel is “the biggest loser” of the Syrian Civil War. Yaari’s view diverges from the near consensus among members of the Israeli defense establishment, who routinely refer to Syria as a great success of what the Israelis call “the campaign between the wars.” Targeted strikes and innovative intelligence work, the establishment argues, have prevented the Islamic Republic from turning Syria into a second Lebanon, which Iran could use as a major base for military operations against Israel.
Hudson Senior Fellow Michael Doran will host Yaari and Zohar Palti, the former head of the Policy and Political-Military Bureau in Israel’s Ministry of Defense, to discuss Yaari’s views on Syria and Israel’s strategic situation more broadly.
Join Hudson Institute Senior Fellows Michael Doran and Ludovic Hood, Research Fellow Zineb Riboua, and Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, for a timely discussion about the conflicts in the region and America’s strategic and diplomatic paths forward.
Join Senior Fellow Dr. Rebeccah Heinrichs and Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) for a fireside discussion on how Congress can guide American strategy, the need to modernize the defense industrial base, and the vital role of allies and partners in an unstable international environment.
Join Senior Fellow Michael Doran for a candid conversation with H.E. Narek Mkrtchyan, ambassador of the Republic of Armenia to the United States of America, as they discuss the developments, challenges, and opportunities defining the US-Armenia relationship.
Please join Hudson Institute’s China Center as Miles Yu hosts a panel with key members of Taiwan’s Legislative Yuan and the Democratic Progressive Party to examine Taiwan’s mobilization efforts against the CCP’s increasing threats.
