Incoming President-elect Donald Trump says the United States should not get involved in the drama playing out in Syria. Rebel forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS, formerly the Al Qaeda-linked Jabhat al-Nusra) last week captured the northern cities of Aleppo and Hama. By Saturday night, they had captured most of southern Syria as well, and were beginning to encircle the capital city of Damascus.
State-run Syrian media maintains that President Bashar al-Assad is still in the capital, but myriad Arab sources report that Assad, his brother and their families have fled the country.
“Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad,” Trump wrote Saturday night in a post on social media.
Opposition fighters in Syria, in an unprecedented move, have totally taken over numerous cities, in a highly coordinated offensive, and are now on the outskirts of Damascus, obviously preparing to make a very big move toward taking out Assad. Russia, because they are so tied up…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 7, 2024
“Russia, because they are so tied up in Ukraine, and with the loss there of over 600,000 soldiers, seems incapable of stopping this literal march through Syria, a country they have protected for years.
“This is where former President [Barack] Obama refused to honor his commitment of protecting the RED LINE IN THE SAND, and all hell broke out, with Russia stepping in. But now they are, like possibly Assad himself, being forced out, and it may actually be the best thing that can happen to them.
“There was never much of a benefit in Syria for Russia, other than to make Obama look really stupid,” Trump wrote.
“In any event, Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!”
Trump’s comments came as he was visiting Paris for the reopening of the Cathedral of Notre Dame.
Russia has reportedly evacuated its embassy in Damascus and is pulling its forces from the country, as is Iran. Hundreds of Syrian soldiers fled this weekend to Iraq, according to an Iraqi security source quoted by AFP.
Israel Beefs Up Forces Along Syrian Border
IDF Chief of the General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi said during a situational assessment along the border that Israel is not intervening in the Syrian drama, but is preparing for various scenarios.
Halevi made the comments while approving defensive and offensive plans in the 210th Division, alongside members of the General Staff Forum and the Commanding Officer of the 210th Division.
The IDF chief emphasized the high level of offensive and defensive readiness, the reinforcement of troops along the border, and the continued monitoring of developments. He also stressed that, “alongside these efforts, we are not intervening in events in Syria, are working to thwart and prevent threats in the area, and are preparing plans for various options.”
In response to the developments in Syria the IDF reinforced its deployment along the border, including intelligence and reconnaissance units. Ground and aerial forces have been bolstered along the border and sector readiness has been heightened, the military said, adding that the IDF is determined to prevent “any violation of the sovereignty of the State of Israel.”
