Reports are streaming in that Iran has activated the Iraqi Shiite militias and are sending them into Syria from the east in order to help Assad.
This move would change the conflict in Syria overnight by involving Iraqi Shiites in another country’s war for the first time. In the past Iran has tapped Hezbollah for this sort of thing, but due to the decimation that Hezbollah has suffered at the hands of the IDF, Iran has little maneuverability on who to send. Using the Shiite militias as effective as they are in Iraq may bring in other players.
In order to reach the west of Syria, the Iraqi Shiites have to pass through eastern Syria, which is SDF controlled. The Kurds do not like the Iraqi Shiite Militias and can be expected to stop them. Even if the Shiite militias stay to the south and dodge the Kurds they have a wide stretch that sends them on course with the US Al Tanf base, which actually covers a large area. By the time they reach the western side of Syria, the Sunni Jihadists will be well entrenched and resupplied by Turkey. Given how little help the Shiites will be, perhaps Iran is using the current Syrian war as an excuse to move the Shiite militias closer to the one country it really wants to destroy.
That would be Israel.
With just over 1.5 months before Donald Trump is inaugurated, the Middle East is not only as turbulent as ever, but it is down right explosive.