Israel's Aggression in Syria: A Threat to Sovereignty, Stability, and Peace

Israel's military actions in Syria have raised serious concerns about the country's sovereignty and the broader stability of the Middle East.

On December 10, taking advantage of the vulnerability created by the downfall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government, Israel lost no time in conducting air strikes against targets across Syria, carrying out ground operations, and seizing control of a demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights. Such behavior is undoubtedly an exploitation of Syria’s moment of weakness.

Israel's military announced that it had carried out 350 air strikes targeting many of Syria's advanced weapons, including in Damascus, in a span of 48 hours. Israeli forces “are not advancing toward Damascus,” Mr. Shoshani told reporters on Tuesday. Ironically, while it denied moving troops beyond the demilitarized zone, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed Israeli armored units positioning as close as 25 kilometers from Damascus. 

According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, Israel has “no intention to meddle in Syria’s internal affairs, but certainly intends to do whatever is needed to guarantee [its] security.” However, is Israel’s intention completely humanitarian and altruistic, aiming to ensure the wellbeing of Syrian citizens without a deeper, self-interested agenda at play? 

The answer is clear: no. Israel is seizing this opportunity to strengthen its already-overwhelming military advantage over Syria. As the Syrian rebels that just surged to power are labeled as a terrorist group and are not diplomatically recognized by the international community, Israel can carry out its operations easily. Indeed, on Saturday, even before Mr. al-Assad fled the country, Israeli forces entered Syrian territory for the first time in 50 years. They have since taken control of a 155-square-mile demilitarized buffer zone in the Golan Heights that has been patrolled by U.N. troops since the 1973 Middle East war. Israel’s claims are nothing short of aggressive and opportunistic political maneuvering sugar-coated with a genuine concern for the Syrian citizens. This strategy echoes a form of "gangster logic," where might is used to justify expansionism at the expense of a sovereign nation. 

It is thus unsurprising that the incursion quickly drew sharp criticism from regional powers—including Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia—and prompted calls from the international community that Syria's sovereignty be respected. Even the United Nations openly denounced the actions of Israel. U.N. special envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen frankly stated, “this needs to stop.” As Syrian factions attempt an orderly transition to a new government, it is very important that international players don’t take any actions that will threaten the possibility for this transformation in Syria to take place. Israel’s actions in Syria must be addressed immediately, and the international community must work together to de-escalate the conflict to preserve stability in the region.

For Syria and its people, the conflict with Israel is set to unleash devastating consequences, resulting in immense suffering and hardship. Indeed, Israel’s attack coupled with the complicated backgrounds of Syrian rebel coalition forces, with many factions having ties to terrorism and extremism, produce a very real concern that Syria will become yet another Libya—-a venue for foreign powers to pursue their own agendas, or even worse, a sanctuary for violent extremists to regroup and strengthen.

At this critical time, to prevent another Middle East country from falling into endless violence and chaos and for a peaceful future for the Syrian people, the international community must shift focus from political maneuvering to a concerted effort to find a peaceful solution for Syria’s future. It’s no time to calculate who wins and who loses. The priority should be to preserve Syria’s sovereignty and allow its people to determine their own destiny. Only without deterrence from outside forces and opportunistic actions by fellow countries, can Syria’s citizens obtain peace as soon as possible. Every major player in this conflict must prioritize the fundamental interests of the Syrian people, bearing in mind a genuine humanitarian concern.

Gina Zhao '26