Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the presidential palace in Damascus, on May 31, 2025. (Credit: SANA)
Since the onset of the war between Iran and Israel last Friday, the silence of the Syrian Foreign Affairs Ministry has been notable. Damascus is indeed the only regional capital not to have condemned the massive Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic, which even Saudi Arabia has criticized as a violation of international law.While this silence can be explained by a desire not to offend the most radical wing of power — and even a civil society particularly hostile to Iran — it also reflects the political orientation of the power in Syria.In these attacks, the Israeli air force has preferred the "use" of Syrian airspace (rather than Jordanian airspace) to reach its targets in Iran. Indeed, Syria is far from having an effective air defense system that would allow it to control its airspace and prevent Israel from using it. ...
Since the onset of the war between Iran and Israel last Friday, the silence of the Syrian Foreign Affairs Ministry has been notable. Damascus is indeed the only regional capital not to have condemned the massive Israeli strikes against the Islamic Republic, which even Saudi Arabia has criticized as a violation of international law.While this silence can be explained by a desire not to offend the most radical wing of power — and even a civil society particularly hostile to Iran — it also reflects the political orientation of the power in Syria.In these attacks, the Israeli air force has preferred the "use" of Syrian airspace (rather than Jordanian airspace) to reach its targets in Iran. Indeed, Syria is far from having an effective air defense system that would allow it to control its airspace and prevent Israel from using...