Syria's restrained approach to Israel carries risks after fresh strikes in the west and north
Israel has carried out a new series of strikes and ground activity in Syria, including shelling a hilltop near Beit Jinn in the western Damascus countryside and a raid in a village in Quneitra province. The attacks came only days after Israeli fighter jets struck the Abu al-Duhur military base in northern Syria, causing significant damage. The developments have renewed scrutiny of Damascus's decision to avoid direct military confrontation while it pursues diplomacy and state rebuilding.
Sponsored
According to the supplied material, the Abu al-Duhur strike was justified by Israel as an effort to prevent a possible Turkish military deployment at the base. Both Damascus and Ankara disputed that explanation. The same material says the latest attacks persisted despite Syrian efforts to de-escalate through diplomatic channels and despite criticism from Washington over the Abu al-Duhur strike.
No casualty figures were provided in the source rows, and the extent of the damage from the Beit Jinn and Quneitra incidents was not specified. The incidents matter because they highlight the limits of Syria's current response strategy. The government of Ahmed al-Sharaa is described as insisting that Israel withdraw from Syrian territory it occupies, while also arguing that Damascus must be free to rebuild its armed forces and work with partners of its choosing.
At the same time, the source material says the leadership is prioritising economic recovery, international legitimacy, and the reconstruction of state institutions after years of conflict and institutional collapse. That combination leaves Syria trying to restore sovereignty without the military capacity to force a change in Israeli behaviour. The broader context is a country still recovering from the collapse of the army of former President Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.
Sponsored
The supplied material says Israel struck strategic military assets across Syria after that collapse, leaving the new government to assemble a national security architecture from dysfunctional institutions and a patchwork of armed groups. In that setting, restraint may reduce the risk of immediate escalation, but it also creates space for further Israeli operations if Damascus cannot deter them. The article's central warning is that patience alone may not be enough to protect Syrian territory.
The economic backdrop is also significant. The World Bank estimate cited in the source material puts the cost of reconstructing Syria's damaged physical assets at about $216bn. That scale of need helps explain why the new leadership is focusing on restoring energy supplies, improving foreign relations, reconnecting Syria to the international economy, and rebuilding state capacity before attempting any major military response.
The strategy is presented as a long-term effort to recover sovereignty through institutions rather than battlefield confrontation. The source material also points to a political risk at home and across the Arab world. It says Syrian restraint could eventually erode public trust if Israel continues to encroach on Syrian sovereignty without facing consequences.
It adds that Israel is widely viewed as a threat among Syrians and the wider Arab public, which means the government's handling of the issue may shape perceptions of its legitimacy. For al-Sharaa's administration, the challenge is to show that restraint is a deliberate state-building choice rather than an inability to defend the country. What remains unclear is how far Israel intends to continue operating inside Syria and whether diplomatic pressure will alter that pattern.
Sponsored
The supplied rows do not give a timeline for any further Syrian response, nor do they indicate whether the latest strikes caused casualties or prompted new international action. For now, the key question is whether Damascus can rebuild enough state capacity to deter future incursions while still avoiding a wider conflict.
Sponsored
