Since the beginning of the Syrian civil war, regional powers such as Israel and Turkey have done what they can to avoid being pulled into an impossible situation. However, much has changed recently after Turkey invaded northern Syria to prevent Kurdish forces there from gaining strength. Israel, meanwhile, has done very little beyond targeting the occasional Hezbollah arms shipment.
Iranian Military Drone from Syria Tests Israeli Air Defenses
That situation changed over the past weekend when an Iranian drone entered Israeli airspace from Syria. According to the Israeli Air Force (IAF), the drone was spotted on radar but was allowed to enter Israeli airspace.
Once the drone crossed the border, however, it was shot down by an IAF attack helicopter. The IAF was clear regarding its intention to allow the drone to enter Israeli airspace; the Israelis wanted to recover it. This situation is nothing unusual, but it is evident that the Iranian military in Syria feels confident enough to begin probing Israeli defenses.
In a way, this testing of border defenses was inevitable. Numerous nations entered the fray in Syria to dispose of the Islamic State. Now that ISIS has lost nearly all of its territory, the realpolitik of the nations involved is taking over the situation.
Nations and Religious Groups Pursuing Their Self-Interests
Each nation has a different interest in the future of Syria. But for Israel, it cannot allow the large Iranian military presence, along with Hezbollah and the plethora of other Shia militias next door, to metastasize into an existential threat. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said as much.
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