The Heat: Tensions in the Middle East

The Heat

All eyes are on the Middle East after the tensions between Tel Aviv and Tehran reached new levels.

On Jan. 21, Israel launched an airstrike on Iranian positions near Damascus, the Syrian capital, killing 21 people – 12 of them, members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. The Israel Defense Forces released a video of the attack, which was quickly claimed by Tel Aviv, unlike previous bombardments.

Both countries vowed to a bigger conflict – if the other side does not stop the aggressions – while Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, to discuss ways to stabilize Syria.

From Damascus, CGTN’s Alaa Ebrahim explains the fragile situation in the country.
Follow Alaa Ebrahim on Twitter @Alaa_Ebrahim_tv

To discuss:

  • Dorothy Parvaz is a global politics reporter with ThinkProgress.
  • Kamal Alam is a visiting fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.
  • Shlomo Brom is a senior research associate at the Institute for National Security Studies.
  • Ilhan Tanir is a journalist and political analyst.

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