The aim of this study is to explain the international, regional, and domestic causes behind the overthrow of the Ba'ath regime in Syria. Following the outbreak of unrest in Syria in 2011 and due to its strategic position in West Asia, the country’s internal conflict rapidly escalated into an international crisis, marked by alignments among transregional and regional actors. By 2019, the United States, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia had taken positions supporting the opposition, while Russia, China, Iran, and their non-state allies supported the former regime.
Although it appeared that the Syrian crisis had been managed in favor of the Ba'ath government—particularly after the Astana Process negotiations—a relatively stable period between 2020 and 2024 ended abruptly when the former Syrian government collapsed with astonishing speed following an offensive by Syrian armed opposition forces.It seems that a shift in the balance of power during the fragile ceasefire period in favor of the opposition paved the way for the regime’s downfall. The findings of this research indicate that,the Assad government faced growing interference from its international and regional adversaries, and on the other hand, international and regional support for it weakened gradually due to both external and internal pressures—such as the war in Ukraine,the shift in Israeli policy following the Al-Aqsa Storm operation, and the strategic realignments of the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Additionally, domestic factors—including the country’s economic conditions, military situation, and the political performance of the former regime—also played a significant role in its collapse.