The New Middle East after Assads fall
by Mohammad Javad Mousavizadeh
Published: Dec 12, 2024 – 12:05 am GMT+3
Assad’s fall weakens Iran’s influence, shifting the balance of power in the Middle East
The fall of Syrian regime leader Bashar Assad, once seen as an unshakable fixture in the Middle East, has sent ripples across the region, setting the stage for a dramatically altered geopolitical landscape. Assad’s authoritarian rule, inherited from his father in 2000, crumbled after a surprise offensive by opposition forces in northwestern Syria. This marks the end of a 53-year dynasty that wielded control with an iron fist and its collapse ushers in a complex era of uncertainty and potential transformation.
Syria, long a lynchpin in the geopolitical axis of Iran and Russia, now faces a precarious future. The anti-regime forces, spearheaded by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have sought to rebrand themselves as a nationalist force, pledging a diplomatic and cooperative future.
Despite these efforts, international skepticism persists. Concerns over governance, unity among opposition factions and the prospect of prolonged instability loom large. The lessons of post-Gadhafi Libya underscore the challenges ahead; regime change without a robust framework for stability often leads to protracted chaos and suffering.
The reshuffling of power in Syria has intensified broader consequences in the Middle East, with implications for neighboring states and global powers:
Assad’s downfall represents a significant blow to Iran, which relied on Syria as a strategic ally and a conduit to its regional proxies. Simultaneously, Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Yemen face mounting pressures, with Iraq distancing itself from Tehran’s regional ambitions.
The new opposition-dominated Syria presents a mixed bag for Israel. While the collapse of an Iranian ally is welcome, the emergence of potentially hostile elements close to its borders raises new security concerns. Israel has already taken preventative action, targeting weapon depots in Syria to prevent strategic arms from falling into the wrong hands.
The broader Middle East is undergoing a seismic shift. The Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and the subsequent conflict significantly weakened both Hamas and Hezbollah, key players in Iran’s network of influence. Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen have remained resilient, posing challenges to global commerce and security.
The region’s trajectory is far from certain. Assad’s fall offers a moment of possibility for a more stable and cooperative Middle East, but the risks of fragmentation, prolonged conflict and external manipulation remain high. International actors, particularly the U.S., must balance short-term strategic interests with long-term stability goals, avoiding the pitfalls of fostering divisions that may backfire.
The new Middle East, defined by shifting alliances, weakened hegemonies and emerging opportunities, holds promise and peril. Whether it evolves into a region of coexistence and growth or succumbs to renewed cycles of violence will depend on the vision and cooperation of its key stakeholders.
The Middle East must be at Peace before the Return of Christ and this new development helps to remove a great obstacle to that as it pushes Iran back from its influence and ties to the current axis of Evil with the Shiite Terror groups it sponsors in the Middle East.
Israel, Egypt and Saudi Arabia will form a prosporus King of the South with Israel’s economy benefitting all. This is not surprising to Bible Students as we fully expect to see this development based on Bible Prophecy that has foretold the alignment of Nations in the “latter days”. The Bible describes a King of the North and a King of the South Geo-political Alignment of Nations in the last days prior to the last battle of mankind and the intervention of Christ to established God’s Kingdom on Earth Forever. We read of this in Daniel Chapter 11:
“And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps. But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him.”
You can read more about this in this article: Alignment of Nations in the Latter Days
