How Israel’s southern foothold limits Syria’s room to maneuver

LONDON: Israeli forces are reportedly positioned about 27 km from Damascus, and analysts say they may not need to advance any farther to constrain Syria’s government. Their foothold in the south, reinforced by repeated incursions and the threat of airstrikes, already gives Israel leverage over its neighbor’s security decisions. For President Ahmad Al-Sharaa’s transitional government, that creates a difficult balancing act: negotiating an Israeli withdrawal without provoking a wider conflict or u