States
Syria
Long-time Iranian ally hosting IRGC and Hezbollah infrastructure; site of regular Israeli strikes on Iran-aligned assets.
Role in conflict
Syria has been a primary venue for Israeli strikes on Iranian and Iran-aligned weapons transfers and personnel for over a decade. The state's reduced post-civil-war capacity makes it a permissive environment for Iran-aligned forces, including IRGC-Quds Force operatives and Hezbollah resupply lines toward Lebanon. Russian air-defence presence at Khmeimim adds a deconfliction layer with Israeli operations.
Objectives
- Regime preservation
- Reconstruction financing without complete dependence on any one patron
Constraints
- Limited state capacity post-civil-war
- Continued sanctions exposure
Allies
- iran
- russia