How Syria’s Dynasty Collapsed

The Assad regime, with backing from allies Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah, seemed to have survived a long civil war that began in 2011, and was beginning to emerge from regional isolation. But when Islamist forces led an offensive from their enclave in late 2024, a dynasty that had lasted five decades suddenly crumbled. Though Hafez al-Assad had brought stability to Syria, his son Bashar presided over a period of decline. Corruption hollowed out the state and Sunni grievances against the Alawite rulers grew, while a new regional order weakened the regime’s external allies. Now the country’s new Islamist rulers are gesturing at inclusive governance as they move to establish dominance.