Iran now has a military presence in 10 governorates in Syria that includes no fewer than 125 outposts of its Revolutionary Guards Corps and pro-Iranian militias, the Turkish research institute Jusoor revealed in a study published earlier this month.
The findings from Jusoor show that Israel might have cause for concern. The Syrian governorate with the largest number of Iranian outposts is Deraa, where the Iranians have set up 37 military locations. There are another 22 Iranian outposts in and around Damascus, 15 in Aleppo, and another five each in Quneitra and al-Suwayda.
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A number of strikes on Iran's Imam Ali base and other bases in the E-Zor Governorate have been attributed to Israel. Jusoor reports that the district boasts 13 Iranian outposts and military bases, one of which -- located at Bukamal near the Iraqi border -- hosts thousands of troops.
The Jusoor study reports that the base is well-defended and serves as a major weapons smuggling station on the Shiite axis.
However, the Iranians have not refrained from establishing themselves farther from Israel, and nearer Turkey, and have set up six outposts in Latakia, six in Hama, four in Idlib, and 12 in Homs.
The Jusoor study said that Iran had the largest military presence in Syria after Russia, the United States, and Turkey, and said that the Iranian military presence played a role in maintaining the ceasefire in northwest Syria. The study also said that Iran was considered the main military support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
The Turks, like Israel, do not want to see Iran establish an extensive military infrastructure in Syria, but for obviously very different reasons.
In Israel, the main concern about the Iranian presence north of the border is a defensive one, whereas the concern for Turkey -- which enjoys relatively strong ties with Iran -- is that the Iranian presence in certain areas of Syria is preventing Turkey from occupying the northern parts of the state.
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