President al-Assad warns Iran, Hezbollah against engaging Syria in conflict with Israel

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has conveyed a message to Iran and Hezbollah, expressing his desire to avoid Syria's involvement in a war with Israel.

The president cautioned that ongoing Israeli strikes on Iranian and Hezbollah targets deep within Syria could undermine his authority and emphasised that without his leadership, the Iran-Syria-Hezbollah axis would lack strategic depth, Caliber.Az reports via Israeli media.

The Syrian leader is attempting to navigate the current conflict carefully, with doubts surrounding his commitment to the Iranian axis. He is clearly reluctant to be drawn into a multifaceted campaign against Israel.

Even prior to the murder of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, Syrian state television had ceased broadcasting the Hezbollah leader's speeches. Currently, the president appears to be paying a sort of "tax" by tolerating Israeli attacks on Hezbollah weapon convoys operating in Syria. 

This strategy is seen as a tactical maneuver that allows his regime to survive while maintaining a semblance of loyalty to the Iranian axis. However, some analysts suggest that Assad may be aiming for something more significant. 

He is seeking the right moment to detach from the Iranian axis, taking advantage of its current weaknesses to find a new patron. Among the potential "alternative patrons" for Syria, analysts mention the United Arab Emirates (UAE). 

In recent months, there have been several mediation efforts by the UAE in Syria aimed at preventing the country from being drawn into war. Syria may look to leverage the changing dynamics in the Middle East to loosen Iran's grip or even extricate itself from its influence altogether.

By Naila Huseynova