Foreign policy expert says rebel attacks in Aleppo may benefit Israel

Daniel Rakov, an expert on Russian policy in the Middle East and retired IDF colonel, says the attacks in Syria can hinder assistance to Iran and Hezbollah. 

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Daniel Rakov, a senior research fellow for the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, wrote on X that the rebel attack on Syrian government forces in Aleppo is “ostensibly good for Israel.”

Rakov, an expert on Russian policy in the Middle East and retired IDF colonel, says the attacks in Syria can hinder assistance to Iran and Hezbollah.

He wrote, “The fall of northern Syria to the rebels undermines the infrastructure of both the Iranians and Hezbollah in the region, complicating their efforts to rebuild Hezbollah.”

Syrian President Bashar Assad will presumably be more concerned with fighting for the survival of his government than funding terror groups that threaten Israel.

“As Assad becomes more defensive, fighting for the survival of his regime, supporting Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon will take a backseat,” Rakov wrote.

Meanwhile, Israel will have more leverage to take action in Syria.
Rakov also noted that Moscow, Syria’s ally, found the attack by rebels “very embarrassing.”

He said the Russians were surprised by the swiftness of the rebels in Idlib and that Syria will more likely leverage the few Russian forces it has rather than take the time to assist Hezbollah and Iran in its conflict with Israel.

Rakov discusses reports that Assad asked Putin for assistance directly and that glide bombs have been transferred to a Russian-operated Khmeimim Air Base in Syria.

He adds that Russia is downplaying the Syrian incident in its media and is saying its security is not responsible for the defense failure in Aleppo.
Rakov suggests that Israel could leverage the disorder in Syria to attack strategic targets in the country.

However, he warned that instability in Syria may lead to a takeover by radical groups such as ISIS and may cause Syria to open the door to Iran as it struggles to seek assistance from Russia and Turkey.