The Iranians and Hezbollah have not abandoned their intentions to re-establish a foothold on Syrian soil. The motivation for this exists. In our assessment, this could be expressed in the near future through new cooperation with local forces based on various interests and financial incentives. The objective: to reactivate the land routes of the original corridor, which crossed Syria from the Iraqi border in the east to the Lebanese border in the west (see the dotted routes on the attached map of the original land corridor). In light of the reports that the US will reduce the number of its troops in Syria by half and that it has already begun withdrawing some of its forces (from the Conico base, for example, in the Deir ez-Zor region, northeastern Syria), it can be estimated that the motivation of Iran and Hezbollah to re-establish a foothold in the Syrian part of the corridor will increase even more. All this even before a possible American withdrawal from the al-Tanf region in southeastern Syria. In such a case, the potential is created for a significant shortening of the corridor route towards Lebanon and the southern Syrian region, with an emphasis on the Daraa province adjacent to Israel, to be re-exposed to Iranian influence and foothold.
