Syria has been beset with another round of deadly sectarian clashes, with hundreds reportedly killed last week, drawing renewed international involvement. Israel says its airstrikes in southern Syria and Damascus in the last few days were meant to protect the Druze religious minority against government-backed forces and to prevent recent militarization near its border. The United States and Turkey have criticized the armed Israeli intervention, throwing their support behind the Syrian authorities and calling for national unity. Who’s responsible for the latest outbreak of violence? Is Syria at risk of sliding back into wide-scale conflict?
Our experts discussed the causes and domestic consequences of the latest violence; the motives and long-term implications of Israeli involvement in Syria; the limitations of the current Syrian government; the United States’ policy posture toward both Syria and Israel; and the broader regional risks stemming from the turmoil inside Syria’s borders.