Israel Doubles Syria Incursions, Triples Strikes as Damascus Pushes $28 Billion Transit Hub Vision
Updated
Updated · Foreign Policy · May 29
Israel Doubles Syria Incursions, Triples Strikes as Damascus Pushes $28 Billion Transit Hub Vision
3 articles · Updated · Foreign Policy · May 29
Summary
Israel has sharply escalated operations inside Syria over the past two weeks, more than doubling ground incursions and tripling artillery strikes, according to the report.
That surge comes as Syria pitches itself as a land-based alternative to the shuttered Strait of Hormuz and the insecure Red Sea, seeking reconstruction funding and wider diplomatic reintegration.
At least $28 billion in Middle Eastern investment deals were signed in 2025, with more secured in 2026, while Syria has promoted rail, road and pipeline links to move energy, food and trade toward Europe.
The strategy has drawn higher-level engagement — including G-7 invitations and U.S. sanctions relief — but the report says continued Israeli pressure could destabilize Syria's transition and jeopardize those long-term corridor plans.
As Syria builds a new global trade route, will escalating Israeli attacks derail the entire project?
Can a former wanted militant truly transform Syria into a stable hub for global trade and energy?
Southern Syria Under Israeli Control: Expansion, Annexation Risks, and Regional Fallout After Assad’s Collapse
Overview
Following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad's government on December 8, 2024, Israel quickly launched a large-scale ground operation, crossing the 1974 ceasefire line and capturing the buffer zone between Israel and Syria. This marked a major violation of the armistice agreement and fundamentally changed the region's security landscape. Israeli forces deepened their presence, seizing the demilitarized border zone along the Golan Heights and advancing into Daraa, Quneitra, and Mount Hermon. These actions expanded Israel's control well beyond the initial buffer zone, signaling a long-term strategy and significantly impacting stability in southern Syria.