Quick Read
- General Brad Cooper, head of US CENTCOM, visited Israel to discuss potential US intervention in Iranian anti-regime protests.
- The US is deploying a ‘massive armada’ of military assets, including an aircraft carrier, to the Middle East.
- Cooper’s visit followed discussions on Syrian developments, including the Syrian army’s takeover of Kurdish-controlled territories and ISIS detainee transfers.
- Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s forces defeated the US-backed Kurdish-led SDF, with Turkey’s support.
- The US shifted support from the SDF to al-Sharaa’s government, relieving some US-Turkey tensions.
JERUSALEM (Azat TV) – General Brad Cooper, the head of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), arrived in Israel this past Saturday for high-level discussions with senior Israeli officials regarding the possibility of American intervention in the ongoing Iranian anti-regime protests and the Iranian government’s violent crackdown. His brief visit comes as the U.S. intensifies its military posture in the Middle East, deploying significant assets to the region while navigating a complex web of diplomatic and security challenges.
US Focus on Iran Amid Regional Deployments
General Cooper’s itinerary, as reported by Army Radio, specified that he would make a brief stop in Israel on his return journey to the United States for several scheduled meetings, staying only a few hours. The primary focus of his discussions with Israeli counterparts centered on the escalating situation in Iran, where widespread anti-regime protests have been met with a forceful response from Tehran.
This visit is part of a broader, more assertive U.S. strategy in the Middle East. In recent days, the U.S. has been repositioning multiple military assets, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, several warships, destroyers, and fighter aircraft, to the region. This deployment underscores a clear message from Washington, with President $1 Trump stating last Thursday aboard Air Force One that the U.S. has “a massive armada” headed to the Middle East and is ‘watching Iran closely.’
Prior to his stop in Israel, General Cooper had been engaged in discussions across the Middle East concerning recent developments in Syria. These included the Syrian army’s takeover of Kurdish-controlled territories, the release of thousands of Islamic State detainees from prisons in Syria, and the transfer of remaining Islamic State prisoners to Iraq. These regional shifts form a critical backdrop to the U.S. military’s current focus.
Syria’s Shifting Landscape and Turkey’s Gains
General Cooper’s visit also coincides with significant geopolitical realignments in Syria, which have direct implications for regional stability and U.S. policy. Turkey is celebrating what it views as a major victory following the Syrian government’s swift offensive against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria. Ankara has long considered Kurdish armed groups, including those affiliated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), a national security threat due to a decades-long insurgency.
The SDF, once the primary partner of the United States in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria, rapidly lost most of its territory to an offensive launched by Syria’s interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa. The SDF was subsequently compelled to accept a deal that would dissolve the force and integrate its tens of thousands of fighters into the Syrian government’s military as individuals. This outcome followed months of unsuccessful negotiations for the SDF to join the new Syrian army as a cohesive bloc, according to reporting by the Associated Press.
The U.S. notably declined to intervene on behalf of the SDF, shifting its support to al-Sharaa’s nascent government and focusing instead on brokering a ceasefire. This policy pivot was a critical factor in the Syrian government’s success. Sinan Ulgen, director of the Istanbul-based EDAM research center, noted that the SDF’s loss of influence and territorial hold is “certainly a very favorable outcome for Turkey,” as is the extension of the new Syrian government’s capabilities.
Implications for Regional Alliances and Stability
Turkey played a crucial behind-the-scenes role in the Syrian government’s offensive. Turkish security officials indicated that Ankara advised the Syrian government during operations and maintained contact with Damascus to ensure civilian safety and the safe evacuation of SDF members. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly congratulated the Syrian government, reiterating Turkey’s long-held stance against any ‘separatist structure’ along its southern borders.
The dismantling of the SDF has also served to relieve some tensions between Turkey and the United States, as the SDF’s reliance on Washington’s support had been a point of contention. Experts suggest that President $1’s personal ties with Erdogan likely influenced the U.S. shift, alongside the White House’s assessment that the legitimate “interlocutor in Syria should be the new government and not a non-state entity.”
Despite calls for intervention from some SDF representatives, Israel also chose to remain uninvolved in the recent Syrian offensive. A key turning point, according to Ulgen and Ozgur Unluhisarcikli of the German Marshall Fund, was a recent meeting between Syrian and Israeli officials in Paris, where Syria effectively recognized Israel’s zone of influence along its southern border. This tacit agreement, coupled with U.S. support for the Syrian government, played a significant role in the outcome.
Turkish officials now hope that the integration of the SDF into Syrian government structures will further advance Ankara’s own peace initiative with the PKK. While the PKK announced its intent to disarm and disband in May, the SDF had previously resisted similar pressure. This new development, Ulgen cautioned, removes a ‘handicap’ but Ankara must still address potential frustrations among its own Kurdish population, as warned by Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party.
The arrival of a top U.S. military commander in Israel for discussions on Iran, amidst a significant U.S. military buildup and profound shifts in Syria, underscores Washington’s multifaceted approach to regional security. The U.S. appears to be leveraging its diplomatic and military influence to recalibrate alliances and confront emerging threats, prioritizing state-level engagement while demonstrating a willingness to adapt to evolving power dynamics in the Middle East.