Syria in transitional turmoil, Lebanon’s diplomatic tension highlighted in newspaper 

Arab newspapers published this morning highlighted the situation in Syria one year after the fall of the Baath regime, the shifting dynamics of the Middle East after the Gaza war, and developments in Lebanon in light of recent political and security events.

Syria one year after Assad

According to the London-based Al-Arab newspaper, the passing of a year since the departure of the former Syrian president does not mark the end of the Syrian crisis; rather, it signals the entry into a new phase of political, economic, and social fluidity.

The paper notes that institutions capable of running the state in a stable manner have yet to take shape, while the biggest challenge lies in building new political legitimacy through transitional elections or internal–external agreements. Such legitimacy will remain fragile unless supported by structural reforms and a redefinition of the social contract.

The newspaper argues that the tracks of security, the economy, refugees, and regional reform are interconnected in a way that makes progress in any one file conditional upon progress in the others. It concludes that the post-Assad period opens the door to a deep restructuring process that could allow for rebuilding a multi-component state that moves beyond the logic of individual dominance toward participation and balance.

Neither Syria nor Gaza is the last scene of mass violence in the region

Al-Khaleej newspaper writes that the Middle East has entered a new phase of conflict after the Gaza war, characterized by the erosion of traditional rules of warfare and the rise of asymmetric deterrence between states and their proxies.

The paper states that unconventional weapons, drones, and cyber warfare now shape the balance of power more than conventional armies.

It warns that Israel’s policy of domination by force deepens regional chaos and pushes the region toward a dangerous arms race, especially amid the collapse of mechanisms controlling military proliferation and the breakdown of international agreements on nuclear weapons.

The paper also points to the expanding influence of militias and the erosion of state sovereignty in several Arab countries, turning any limited clash into a potentially open regional crisis.

It concludes that the region is facing a profound existential crisis that will not be resolved without restructuring the regional security system and establishing collective mechanisms for disarmament and arms control.

How does Hezbollah view Karam’s appointment to the “mechanism”?

On the Lebanese front, Al-Diyar newspaper reported, citing informed sources, that Hezbollah is uneasy about the appointment of Brigadier General Bassam Karam to the “mechanism” without receiving something in return, at minimum, an end to hostile actions.

According to the sources, the party is not opposed to indirect negotiations, but it considers the raised level of representation to have occurred without clear gains for the Lebanese side and without guarantees that tensions will not escalate during the mechanism’s work.

The paper notes that the move reflects a diplomatic effort to break the political deadlock, yet the path remains “strewn with mines,” making the accompanying concerns justified amid the current tension.

A-H 

ANHA