With Assad Gone—What’s Next?

The ring of fire that Iran sought to establish around Israel over the past year has been dismantled with the loss of the single most important link in the chain, Syria. Hizbullah is now locked in an isolated enclave in south and west Lebanon. Hamas is transformed from a well-equipped terrorist army into a scattered armed underground. The multitude of Iranian-sponsored Iraqi militias proved to be ineffective in spite of their bombastic rhetoric. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps opted to avoid getting into direct continuous exchanges of blows with Israel, after having a taste of Israel’s attack capabilities. Assad’s downfall was made possible by a year of Israeli strikes on Iranian targets, military industries and air defense systems in Syria. In spite of the awkward manner in which Prime Minister Netanyahu has managed these campaigns—slowing them down and losing momentum at times—the Israel Defense Forces with its superb air force has prevailed. Having defeated its enemies, Israel will be looked upon differently by friends and foes alike...

Read the full article on the Jerusalem Strategic Tribune website.