Tipsheet

New Video Paints a Troublesome Picture in Syria One Year After Assad

Amy Curtis
Amy Curtis  |  December 17, 2025 12:40 PM

Last year, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a Syrian rebel group founded in 2017, staged an uprising that led to the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.

Speaking out after fleeing the country, Assad said, "My departure from Syria was neither planned nor did it occur during the final hours of the battles, as some have claimed."

He added, "At no point during these events did I consider stepping down or seeking refuge, nor was such a proposal made by any individual or party."

President Biden gave an address on the fall of Assad, calling it a "fundamental act of justice" and "a moment of historic opportunity for the long-suffering people of Syria."

"It’s also a moment of risk and uncertainty.  As we all turn to the question of what comes next, the United States will work with our partners and the stakeholders in Syria to help them seize an opportunity to manage the risks," Biden added. Then-President-elect Trump also commented on the regime change, writing on Truth Social, "Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by (President) Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer." Trump also warned against deeper U.S. involvement in the region, posting on Truth Social, "Syria is a mess, but is not our friend, & THE UNITED STATES SHOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. THIS IS NOT OUR FIGHT. LET IT PLAY OUT. DO NOT GET INVOLVED!"

There was hope that Assad's departure would bring change. Syrian Christians saw a Christmas tree burned by Islamists in Al-Suqaylabiyah. Despite this, they rose to celebrate the holiday, even though social media users warned that the "new Islamist regime" was barring Christians from celebrating their faith.

Despite President Trump's earlier warnings against U.S. involvement, on December 13, two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian U.S. interpreter were gunned down during an ambush by a gunman in Palmyra. Three others were wounded in the attack. The gunman was reportedly a member of the Syrian armed forces and may have ties to ISIS.

That attack came five days after the first anniversary of Assad's departure.

On December 8, the military held parades with troops changing slogans that called for the invasion of Israel, including October 7-style paragliding attacks on the Jewish state.

In one video, Syrian forces are heard chanting, "Khaybar, Khaybar ya Yahood, Jaish Mohammed soufa ya'oud!" which translates to, "Khaybar, Khaybar oh Jews. The Army of Mohammed will return!" This references Mohammed's annihilation of Jews on the Khaybar Peninsula in 628.

Other video circulated on social media as well. 

Many of the top commanders in the new Syrian army are ISIS veterans and members of other jihadists groups who still pledge their allegiance to jihad against Israel and other nations.

On December 10, the House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act which, among other things, revoked the Caesar Sanctions Act and removed U.S. economic sanctions on Syria. Those sanctions were imposed during the Assad regime in retaliation for its mass murder of Syrian citizens.

Whether or not the sanctions return remains to be seen. President Trump has vowed "very serious retaliation" against Syria for the deadly attack on U.S. Forces.

"This was an ISIS attack against the U.S. and Syria, in a very dangerous part of Syria, that is not fully controlled by them," the President wrote on social media.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also promised to hold the attackers accountable. "Let it be known, if you target Americans — anywhere in the world — you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you," Hegseth wrote on social media.

Assad’s fall was greeted as a moment of change, but the year since has underscored how fragile and dangerous such change can be. Syria’s new regime has yet to demonstrate either the capacity or the will to restrain extremist elements within its ranks, protect minorities, or abandon calls for violence against Israel.

As the Trump administration weighs its next steps, the challenge is to protect America’s interests: defend Israel, deter attacks on U.S. forces, and avoid being drawn deeper into a conflict that does not serve the American people.