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New Syrian government forbids Iranian planes in its airspace

Security sources say this a decisive declaration of Syria’s repudiation of the ‘Axis of Evil’ headed by Iran.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The new regime in Syria under Abu Muhammad al-Julani has declared that it will not permit Iranian planes to enter its airspace, according to Walla.

Initially, the decision was limited to planes used for military purposes, such as transferring weapons or moving troops. However, on Sunday, it became evident that the ban extended to all Iranian aircraft.

Security sources say this is the most decisive declaration of Syria’s independence and repudiation of the “Axis of Evil” headed by Iran. Iranian planes require access to Syrian airspace to transport supplies to terror proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon.

As a result, Hezbollah is likely to have difficulty replenishing its military supplies, and Iran will be encumbered in its ability to transport weapons, ammunition, and terrorist recruits throughout the Middle East.

Israeli officials see this as a welcome development but still express caution given the new regime’s as-yet-ambiguous position on Israel.

Israeli and US officials will discuss the situation in Syria in the coming days, including the lifting of the $10 million bounty on al-Julani’s head and whether Syria is likely to hold democratic elections.

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Barbara Leaf, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, told reporters that she had informed al-Julani, leader of the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group that led Assad’s overthrow, that the United States would not pursue a $10 million terrorism bounty on him for his role as the head of a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist group.

Julani, whose real name is Ahmad al-Sharaa, told Leaf that he “committed” to not allowing terrorist groups to pose a threat both within Syria and externally to the United States and its regional partners.