Homs…a strategic city at the heart of the Syrian conflict

According to military and strategic expert, Major General Dr. Saleh Al-Maytah, the decline hummus In the hands of armed organizations, it threatens to separate Syria off the west coast and its maritime domain, which represents a strong blow to the Syrian regime and its allies, in particular Russia andIran“.

Objectives of controlling Homs

Militants seek to control Homs as it is a major logistics hub. It is not only a strategic corridor between areas of influence in Syria, but also a gateway to the west coast, where Russian influence is represented in vital bases such as Latakia And Tartous.

Major General Al-Maitah adds: “Homs represents a key point in Iran’s project to create a land corridor stretching from Iraq through Syria to Lebanon, which explains Iran’s growing interest in it.”

The diverse population density in Homs, which before the war was about one million people, has now become an additional pressure on all sides.

Repercussions of the battle on regional influence

From the Russian perspective, controlling Homs means strengthening its dominance over the western coast and securing Russian maritime interests in the Mediterranean. As for Iran, it sees Homs as key to its regional project, as Major General Al-Maitah pointed out during his speech to Sky News Arabia that “the fall of Homs means the collapse of the Syrian regime and the decline of Iranian influence in the region.” On the other hand, Israel seeks to undermine any progress that could allow the transfer of weapons through Homs to Hezbollah in Lebanon.

A very fierce battle

The battle for Homs is expected to be one of the fiercest battles of the Syrian conflict.

Major General Al-Maitah confirms that “the Syrian regime will fight fiercely to preserve this governorate, given its vital role in the regime’s survival.”

He believes the battle will be different from Aleppo or Hama because of the complexity of the geography and regional overlap in Homs.

Controlling Homs is not just a military move, but rather a political and strategic battle that can reshape the map of influence in Syria. With competing regional and international powers, the city remains an open arena of conflict, where it is difficult to predict who will have the last word.