With allies on the back foot, Syria may hedge its bets

Significance This marked another step forward on Syria’s pathway to normalising its relations with the Gulf states and the wider Arab world. This has occurred despite President Bashar al-Assad’s apparent unwillingness to cooperate on major issues linked to normalisation, especially concerning ending the smuggling of the amphetamine drug Captagon. Impacts Washington will maintain its political opposition to normalisation with the Syrian government, pending substantive political reforms. US sanctions will hinder and discourage private and Gulf investments in Syria. Israel will seek to eliminate remaining Hezbollah infrastructure and capabilities in Syria.