What’s behind the Israel-Turkey power struggle in Syria?

Israel has been attacking parts of Syria since the fall of the Assad regime and carrying out incursions into the country’s south under the pretext of targeting weapons of the former government.

But its attack last week on the Abu Al Duhur military airfield in the northern governorate of Idlib was different, apparently directed at Turkey as tensions rise between the two countries.

Israeli officials accused Turkey of stationing troops at the airbase, an allegation both Syria and Turkey dismissed.

US special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack called the strikes unnecessary and deeply concerning. The escalation comes at a time when President Ahmad Al Shara’s government is seeking stability with its neighbours, with Washington’s support.

Stalled talks between Israel and Syria picked up again in Jordan this week as the US pushed to defuse tension. But with Turkey and Israel seeking to secure their influence in a post-Assad Syria, challenges remain.

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, host Nada AlTaher discusses the motives driving this showdown between two major regional powers. She speaks to Noah Bonsey, senior adviser on Syria at the International Crisis Group, and Danny Citrinowicz, senior fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies.

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(512)

The compounded burdens weighing down humanitarian work

In this episode of Beyond the Headlines, Mercy Corps CEO Tjada McKenna joins host Nada AlTaher in conversation about the challenges facing humanitarian assistance across the Middle East and beyond. Th...

27 Elo 19min

How cheap weapons are changing the balance of military power

The US-Iran war has highlighted how rapidly modern warfare is changing, with drones and other relatively inexpensive technology playing an increasingly prominent role alongside sophisticated missile a...

21 Elo 17min

What do the Houthis stand to gain by escalating now?

The Houthis had mostly stayed out of the Iran war. But in recent weeks they have started attacking ships in the Red Sea, as well as Saudi-linked targets inside Yemen and across the border. On Tuesday,...

14 Elo 17min

The cost of occupation: How Palestine's economy has been pushed to the brink

Since October 2023, entire industries in Gaza have been wiped out and poverty has increased. In the occupied West Bank, businesses are struggling amid settler violence and increasing restrictions on m...

7 Elo 30min

What the US-Saudi strikes on Iran-affiliated militias in Iraq reveal about the wider war

It has been five months since the US and Israel launched their war with Iran, and the conflict has never really been contained. Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE and Jordan have all been hit by Iranian ...

31 Heinä 18min

Can Lebanon find a winning formula in peace talks with Israel?

US President Donald Trump pledged his support for Lebanon this week during a visit to the White House by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. A four-decade ban on US airlines flying to the country will be ...

24 Heinä 21min

Why has the US-Iran agreement not been enough to end the war?

The interim agreement aimed at ending the war between the US and Iran has fallen apart barely three weeks after it was signed. Iran has resumed attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, cla...

17 Heinä 18min