By Erick Stakelbeck for
Harbinger's Daily
March 19, 2024
It is a very busy news week in the world’s most chaotic and volatile region—the Middle East.
First and foremost, various media outlets in the region, in particular, Syrian State media run by Bashar al-Assad and also Israel’s Channel 11 broadcaster, report that Russian forces are moving closer to the Israel-Syria border.
Now, a quick reminder: Russian forces have been in Syria since September 2015. They entered the Syrian Civil War basically to save Bashar al-Assad’s hide. Assad eventually prevailed in that Civil War and the Russian incursion into Syria was the game changer.
Well, guess what? Surprise, surprise, Russian forces have not left nearly nine years later. They are still in Syria and are the most powerful force in that country where a number of regional actors have a footprint—the Iranian regime and Hezbollah foremost among them. Turkey is in Syria as well, and in the past, ISIS and Al-Qaeda were also in the region.
Syria has been, as one friend of mine in Israel called it, a Potpourri of rogue regimes and terror groups all stationed in one place—at Israel’s doorstep.
Now, reports that Russia is stationing forces closer along Israel’s border are a cause for great concern. There are geopolitical ramifications and prophetic ramifications as well.
Why would they do that? I think a few things are going on here, folks. Number one, since October 7th, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in particular, and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) have intensified their strikes in Syria against the Iranian regime and Hezbollah assets. The IDF and Israeli intelligence Services have great intel in Lebanon and Syria. There have been a lot of high-value targets linked to the Iranian regime that have been eliminated in the past few months.
Israel is operating more frequently and more powerfully. Many on the ground in Syria who are linked to the Iranian regime have talked about this. Middle East media outlets have taken notice of the intensifying attacks by Israelis—and these are deadly attacks.
Could it be that the Iranian and Assad regimes are essentially calling in backup? I’m not saying Russia is going to militarily get engaged against Israel in this particular situation. However, are Russian Forces trying to send a message to Israel and act as a deterrent?
If Russian forces are in the line of fire when Israel strikes Iran or Hezbollah assets in Syria, things can spiral out of control. It is a tinderbox there right now.
Interestingly, some Israeli analysts I talked to in 2018 and 2019 insisted that Russia could be a positive force in Syria and they could reign in their Iranian allies. Well… so much for that. It’s going entirely in the opposite direction as Russia and Iran cleave closer. There is a full-blown military alliance now between the Iranian regime and Vladimir Putin’s regime.
The Iran-Russia relationship is certainly a quid pro quo alliance on the part of the Iranians. Iran is supplying Russia with hundreds, if not thousands, of drones for use in the war in Ukraine, to the point that Iran and Russia are now building a drone factory together east of Moscow.
Persistent reports also show that Iran is supplying Russia with ballistic missiles now—which would be another level. Of course, Iran denies everything.
If you’re Israel, you need to be very concerned. Before the Ukraine war, Israel did enjoy decent relations with Russia. Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Moscow many times and met with Vladimir Putin face to face—that’s now out the window.
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Harbinger's Daily
March 19, 2024
It is a very busy news week in the world’s most chaotic and volatile region—the Middle East.
First and foremost, various media outlets in the region, in particular, Syrian State media run by Bashar al-Assad and also Israel’s Channel 11 broadcaster, report that Russian forces are moving closer to the Israel-Syria border.
Now, a quick reminder: Russian forces have been in Syria since September 2015. They entered the Syrian Civil War basically to save Bashar al-Assad’s hide. Assad eventually prevailed in that Civil War and the Russian incursion into Syria was the game changer.
Well, guess what? Surprise, surprise, Russian forces have not left nearly nine years later. They are still in Syria and are the most powerful force in that country where a number of regional actors have a footprint—the Iranian regime and Hezbollah foremost among them. Turkey is in Syria as well, and in the past, ISIS and Al-Qaeda were also in the region.
Syria has been, as one friend of mine in Israel called it, a Potpourri of rogue regimes and terror groups all stationed in one place—at Israel’s doorstep.
Now, reports that Russia is stationing forces closer along Israel’s border are a cause for great concern. There are geopolitical ramifications and prophetic ramifications as well.
Why would they do that? I think a few things are going on here, folks. Number one, since October 7th, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in particular, and the Israeli Air Force (IAF) have intensified their strikes in Syria against the Iranian regime and Hezbollah assets. The IDF and Israeli intelligence Services have great intel in Lebanon and Syria. There have been a lot of high-value targets linked to the Iranian regime that have been eliminated in the past few months.
Israel is operating more frequently and more powerfully. Many on the ground in Syria who are linked to the Iranian regime have talked about this. Middle East media outlets have taken notice of the intensifying attacks by Israelis—and these are deadly attacks.
Could it be that the Iranian and Assad regimes are essentially calling in backup? I’m not saying Russia is going to militarily get engaged against Israel in this particular situation. However, are Russian Forces trying to send a message to Israel and act as a deterrent?
If Russian forces are in the line of fire when Israel strikes Iran or Hezbollah assets in Syria, things can spiral out of control. It is a tinderbox there right now.
Interestingly, some Israeli analysts I talked to in 2018 and 2019 insisted that Russia could be a positive force in Syria and they could reign in their Iranian allies. Well… so much for that. It’s going entirely in the opposite direction as Russia and Iran cleave closer. There is a full-blown military alliance now between the Iranian regime and Vladimir Putin’s regime.
The Iran-Russia relationship is certainly a quid pro quo alliance on the part of the Iranians. Iran is supplying Russia with hundreds, if not thousands, of drones for use in the war in Ukraine, to the point that Iran and Russia are now building a drone factory together east of Moscow.
Persistent reports also show that Iran is supplying Russia with ballistic missiles now—which would be another level. Of course, Iran denies everything.
If you’re Israel, you need to be very concerned. Before the Ukraine war, Israel did enjoy decent relations with Russia. Benjamin Netanyahu traveled to Moscow many times and met with Vladimir Putin face to face—that’s now out the window.
Continue Reading:
