Syrian Conflict (2011 – Present)

• Location: West Asia near Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant.
• Nature of Conflict: Multi-sided civil war and proxy war
• Reasons
  • Authoritarian rule under Bashar al-Assad
  • Arab Spring protests met with violent repression
  • Sectarian divide (Alawite-led regime vs Sunni majority)
  • Economic distress, drought, and unemployment.
• Parties Involved
  • Government: Assad regime, Syrian Arab Army
  • Opposition: Free Syrian Army, Islamist rebel groups
  • Extremists: ISIS, Al-Qaeda affiliates
  • Kurds: YPG / Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)
  • External Powers: Russia, Iran, Turkey, USA, Gulf states
• Current Status: Ended in December 2024 with the fall of Bashar al-Assad and the collapse of the Baathist regime, following nearly 61 years of rule. A rebel coalition led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) seized Damascus.

Israel–Gaza Strip War

• Location: West Asia in the Mediterranean Coast
• Reasons
  • Gaza has been under an Israeli–Egyptian blockade since 2007 after Hamas takeover
  • Long-standing Israel–Palestine conflict (territory, security, statehood)
  • Immediate cause: Large-scale Hamas attack on Israel (Oct 2023)
• Parties Involved
  • Israel: IDF (air, ground, naval operations)
  • Hamas: Rockets, tunnels, guerrilla tactics
  • Others: Palestinian Islamic Jihad; regional spillover involving Hezbollah (Lebanon border) and Houthis (Yemen).
  • Diplomacy by: Egypt, Qatar, US
• Present Status: Fighting and localized pauses/ceasefire talks recur intermittently

Yemen Civil War (2014 – Present)

• Location: West Asia  border Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean
• Nature: Civil War and Proxy War
• Causes
  • Political transition failure after Arab Spring (2011)
  • Marginalisation of Houthis and weak central authority
  • Sectarian and tribal rivalries
  • Regional rivalry (Iran–Saudi) is turning Yemen into a proxy battleground
• Parties Involved 
  • Houthis (Ansar Allah): Zaydi Shia rebels; control Sana’a and north-west
  • Internationally Recognised Government: Backed by Saudi-led coalition
  • Saudi-led Coalition: Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates
  • External Backers: Iran (Houthis), United States (coalition support)
  • Others: Southern Transitional Council (STC), AQAP, ISIS (limited)

Israel–Lebanon Conflict

• Location: West Asia
• Context: Longstanding disputes over territory, including the Shebaa Farms area.
• Causes:
  • Territorial disputes between the parties.
  • Proxy wars involving Hezbollah in the region.
  • Spillover from the Gaza conflicts.
• Parties Involved
  • Israel: IDF (air, ground, naval operations)
  • Hezbollah is an Iran-backed non-state actor present in Lebanon, claiming solidarity with Gaza and Palestine.
• Facts: The Israel-Lebanon boundary is demarcated by the Blue Line- The UN-verified demarcation.