As the Middle East remains shaken by the ongoing war in Gaza, Newsweek reports that a new geopolitical flashpoint is emerging in Syria — this time between two key U.S. allies: Israel and Turkey.
The cover of Newsweek magazine © Mena Today
As the Middle East remains shaken by the ongoing war in Gaza, Newsweek reports that a new geopolitical flashpoint is emerging in Syria — this time between two key U.S. allies: Israel and Turkey.
The situation has become increasingly volatile in the wake of the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was ousted four months ago by an Islamist-led rebel coalition.
According to Newsweek, Israel has taken advantage of the power vacuum in Syria by expanding its territorial reach beyond the Golan Heights, establishing a buffer zone in southern Syria, and stepping up airstrikes on Syrian military targets. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) have also reportedly engaged with local Druze and Kurdish communities, further solidifying Israel’s influence in the fractured nation.
Meanwhile, Turkey has moved to assert control in northern Syria through military bases and strategic alliances with opposition factions. Newsweek notes that Ankara’s influence has grown amid the retreat of Assad’s key backers, Iran and Russia.
Turkey has also recently struck a ceasefire with the PKK — a Kurdish militant group operating from Syria and Iraq — in a move to stabilize its own borders.
The magazine highlights concerns that the deepening rivalry between Israel and Turkey could trigger direct conflict if not carefully managed. While U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed admiration for both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, their competing interests in Syria are becoming increasingly difficult to reconcile.
"I will phrase this cautiously without claiming to predict the future," said Efrat Aviv, associate professor at Bar-Ilan University and senior fellow at the Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies, speaking to Newsweek.
Her comment reflects the tense uncertainty now surrounding two of Washington’s most important partners in a region still reeling from war and political transformation.
The article paints a complex picture of post-Assad Syria, where regional powers are vying for influence — and where any miscalculation between allies could lead to a new front in the Middle East’s evolving conflicts.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on Saturday that the war in Gaza will not come to a final end until Hamas is disarmed and the Palestinian territory is fully demilitarized , a key requirement of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement currently under discussion.
As world leaders gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh for a "Peace Summit" aiming to declare an end to the Gaza war, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun made a landmark statement: negotiations with Israel are necessary as part of a broader effort to resolve regional crises.
Saudi Arabia’s Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan declared Saturday that the international community is rallying behind Syria following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, ending over a decade of isolation and conflict.
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