Global Prayer Request - Situation in Syria

Among the many fierce conflicts surrounding Israel right now, one of the most complex is the battle for Syria. 

Syria is not a homogeneous country but rather a mosaic of various ethnic and religious groups that are violently opposed to one another. The Arab Sunnis are the majority (75%) with other ethnic groups including:

* Kurds (about 10–15%)

* Turkmen

* Assyrians/Arameans (mostly Christian)

* Armenians

* Circassians

* Druze

The group HTS which stands for “Organization for the Liberation of Sham” (“Sham” is the term used for the region called Greater Syria during the last caliphate) led by the new president, Ahmad Shara’a (Juliani), are Sunni Muslims with a radical Islamist agenda. They have their roots in al-Qaeda and ISIS.

While Ahmad Shara’a is proclaiming a desire for a modern united country, open to peaceful coexistence, the constitution that he is proposing makes him an absolute dictator and sharia (Islam’s legal code) as the basis for the legal system. That would define the other ethnic and religious groups as kafer (infidels) or dhimmi (institutional second-class citizens) and therefore exposed to total oppression if not obliteration. 

Ahmad Shara’a’s forces are supported primarily by the Turkish regime under President Recep Tayip Erdoğan. Erdoğan, who also poses as a modernist, actually promotes an extremist Islamist agenda. His goal is to resurrect the Ottoman Caliphate abolished in 1923 by the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The Caliphate ruled the Middle East for 400 years. Erdoğan was a supporter of Hamas, ISIS, and Al-Qaeda. The new revolution in Syria has brought Turkey into the forefront of the power struggle.   

Within the country is a small Christian community who are facing potential disaster. Many are fleeing into Lebanon. While it might be hoped that some European nations would come to their support, it doesn't seem likely at this point. Some are calling for Israel to help protect them. 

The Alawites are a minority group (10%) that ruled Syria for 54 years. The Alawite Assad regime was supported both by Iran and by Russia. Iran has lost its influence. However, Russia would like to continue to protect the Alawites. 

Putin sees himself and Russia recovering their previous Soviet empire. That is why they are fighting in Ukraine; and for the same reason, they will be involved in the power struggle in Syria. In some ways, Putin and Erdoğan are competing for influence in Syria, with Turkey presently having the upper hand. 

The Kurdish nation (approximately 35 million) is found in northeast and northwest Syria, southeastern Turkey, northern Iraq, and northwestern Iran. They have faced persecution from all sides. They receive some support from the United States, which has probably kept them from being annihilated. 

When the Syrian Sunni Islamists, under the leadership of Ahmad Shara’a, brought about the downfall of the Assad regime in December 2024, Israel launched a series of air attacks to destroy the missiles, chemical weapons, and military infrastructure that had been built by Iran for the Assad regime. Israel did not want those weapons in the hands of an Islamist dictator. In addition, Israel ground forces took control of the Syrian side of the Mount Hermon Mountain range, since it already had control of the Israeli side. 

What has brought all these elements into a more direct conflict with Israel is the Druze community. The Druze are a religious and ethnic group unto themselves; they are very loyal to one another. However, their population is divided between Syria, Israel and Lebanon. The largest section is in Syria, in the triangular border with Israel and Lebanon. The Druze in Israel are also very loyal to the State of Israel. They speak Hebrew. Their men all serve in the Israeli army in frontline military units and are known for their courage in battle. They are greatly esteemed by the general Israeli population. 

One of the events that caused a breakthrough for Israel in destroying the forces of Hezbollah in Lebanon was when Hezbollah fired a missile into the Golan Heights town of Majdal Shams on July 27, 2024, killing 12 Israeli Druze children in the middle of a soccer game. In response, Israel escalated fiercely its attacks on Hezbollah, which led to their downfall and the rise of a more Christian-led government in Lebanon. 

The crux here is that some of the Sunni terrorists, related to Ahmad Shara’a, have slaughtered not only Alawites and Christians, but also some Druze. The Druze in Israel are calling for Israel to protect their relatives in Syria. This is obviously delicate. The Syrian Druze have been, until now, opposed to Israel, as they have been loyal to Syria.  

Should Israel attack? Should Israel protect the Syrian Druze from the Shara’a regime? The Israeli Druze are demanding an Israeli invasion in the Syrian Druze areas and are willing to supply the main part of the soldiers who would do the fighting. 

This week Israel launched an air attack hitting part of the palace/government complex in Damascus that was recently under Assad but now taken over by Shara’a. The attack purposely hit some buildings that did not have people in them. The idea was to send a clear warning to Shara’a not to attack the Druze but not enough to cause a full war between Israel and Syria at this time.  Israel also hit more of the weapons depots of previous Assad/Iranian armaments. 

Israeli Druze do not think this is enough. They would like full Israeli military protection of the Syrian Druze, no matter what the cost. Some Israeli strategists think that there is an opportunity here to create a significant buffer zone between Israel and the new Syrian regime by sending forces into the Syrian area next to the Israeli border to protect the Druze living there. 

There are some reports that when Israel sent fighter planes into Syria for an attack, Turkey responded by sending their own fighter planes to face off against Israel. The reports continue that Russia also sent fighter planes in at the same time. There was a three-way standoff in the air between Russia supporting the Alawites, Israel supporting the Druze, and Turkey supporting the Ahmad Shara’a regime. 

Did I say the situation was complex? This area of conflict is one of the most crucial in what Israel has called the "Seven-Front War."

Please pray urgently for this intensely strategic battle zone.