After Assad: Navigating Syria's Power Vacuum and Regional Fallout

After just a few days of fighting, Bashar al-Assad's regime has fallen, and Assad has fled to Russia. However, the collapse of the Assad regime is far from a fairytale ending. The rebels responsible for toppling Assad, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), are designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, and history shows that power vacuums in the Middle East often lead to prolonged instability and conflict.

HTS currently holds a dominant position, but Syria’s balance of power remains precarious. Competing factions are poised to challenge HTS, creating a volatile security landscape. Meanwhile, the fall of the Assad regime has significant implications for Israel. Syria has been a critical component of Iran’s axis, serving as a conduit for weapons and illicit materials to reach the West Bank and Jordan.

At this critical juncture, the future of Syria hangs in the balance. How much influence will Russia, Turkey, and Iran exert in shaping Syria’s trajectory? Who will ultimately fill the power vacuum? And what role will the U.S. and Israel play in this tense and rapidly evolving environment?

In this episode of Decision Points, David Makovsky is joined by Andrew Tabler and Tamir Hayman. Andrew Tabler, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, previously served as Senior Advisor to the Special Envoy for Syria Engagement at the State Department and as Director for Syria Affairs at the White House National Security Council. Tamir Hayman, the current Director of INSS—Israel’s leading national security think tank—served as Head of IDF Intelligence, focusing on Iranian entrenchment in Syria, and previously led efforts to provide humanitarian assistance in southern Syria.

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