Why and how war in Syria could explode beyond borders
Syria’s nearly seven-year civil war escalated over the weekend when Israel attacked Iranian targets in Syria. The conflict has drawn in several other nations, including the United States, Russia and Turkey. Here’s a look at the competing interests:
Why did Israel bomb Syria?
Israel said it intercepted an Iranian drone that entered its airspace from Syria on Saturday. An Israeli F-16 fighter jet retaliated by attacking targets in Syria until it was shot down by Syrian anti-aircraft fire. The two pilots were injured. It was the first time in more than a decade that an Israeli jet has been lost in combat, according to The Jerusalem Post.
How did the Syrian war start?
The powder keg was lit in March 2011 amid the Arab Spring uprisings against autocratic regimes throughout the Arab world. Supporters in Syria were arrested and tortured by the regime of President Bashar Assad, prompting thousands to protest. Assad’s forces responded by killing dozens, igniting a full-blown civil war to overthrow the regime. The chaos attracted terrorists throughout the region, including remnants of al-Qaeda in Iraq and an offshoot that became the Islamic State, or ISIS. By 2014, ISIS militants began seizing large swaths of Syrian territory.
Who are the major players?
One by one, foreign countries started getting involved.
In September 2014, U.S. warplanes that had been shelling ISIS in Iraq started bombing targets in Syria. The U.S. is also working with the Kurds in Syria, one of the strongest and most reliable partners in the fight against ISIS.
Russia entered the battle in September 2015, using airstrikes to shore up the struggling Assad regime from a string of losses.
Iran also stepped in to provide much-needed ground troops for the Assad regime, funneling money and fighters through the Lebanon-based Hezbollah militant group.
Syria’s northern neighbor Turkey became engaged after it absorbed many refugees escaping the civil war.
Israel fears Iran could use Syrian territory to stage attacks on its small country or transfer weapons to Hezbollah, Lebanon’s Iranian-backed militant group. Iran is Israel’s arch-enemy and has sworn to destroy Israel.
Could the war go beyond Syria?
All those forces operating in such close quarters creates a constant risk of mistakes that could trigger a conflict outside Syria. On Saturday, Kurdish forces shot down a Turkish military helicopter. In January, a Russian fighter jet flew within 5 feet of a U.S. military reconnaissance plane. U.S. forces pursuing ISIS fighters have mistakenly killed Syrian forces, and Russia has accidentally struck U.S.-backed forces. All sides have warned that such accidents could lead to larger wars.
What’s the toll?
The civil war has killed nearly a half-million people and forced 5 million Syrians to flee, the majority to neighboring Lebanon and Jordan. More than 1 million refugees landed in Europe, contributing to biggest migration crisis since World War II. According to the United Nations, nearly 3 million Syrian children have lived their entire lives gripped by civil war.