Al Jazeera: Regional Powers Brace for a Showdown in Syria

Multiple nations intevene in the Syrian civil war and this could expand the fighting. “A surge in Israeli-Syrian cross-border incidents has turned into the ‘biggest’ confrontation between the two countries in decades and confronted Russia with a new dilemma: how to preserve its ties with both sides,” reports Farah Najjar for Al Jazeera. “Israel and Syria have been at the brink of war ever since Israel occupied a part of the strategic Golan Heights that it annexed following the 1967 Six Day War. The move played a role in Israel's decision to refrain from getting involved in the Syrian conflict.” Israel has launched some aerial attacks on Iranian and Syrian bases near the border in response to the shooting down of an Israeli fighter jet and an Iranian drone entering Israeli airspace. Iran claims the drone was used against the Islamic State. Russia and the United States support opposing sides in the Syrian war. Russia, in siding with the Syrian regime and Iran, struggles to balance good relations with Israel. The United States supports Kurdish groups, opposed by its ally Turkey, who have targeted the Islamic State. Coalition troops recently attacked pro-Syrian forces that included Russians. – YaleGlobal