The Pentagon warns of a potential resurgence of ISIS in Syria as efforts to recover intensify.

Due to the fall of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, the terrorist organization "Islamic State" (ISIS), which was nearly defeated a few years ago, may be poised for a resurgence. ISIS could exploit the vacuum created by the ousting of Assad's regime. Currently, it has the means to do so.

This was stated by U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin on December 9, as reported by CNN. According to Austin, the Pentagon believes that ISIS will take advantage of the collapse of the Assad regime to attempt to restore its capabilities.

"I think everyone expected to see a much tougher resistance from Assad's forces. Given what has happened, certainly, as the situation develops, there is a possibility that groups in this region, like ISIS, may try to seize this opportunity and regain their potential," he said.

Austin added that recently the U.S. conducted a series of powerful strikes against ISIS targets. He mentioned that Washington is currently assessing the results of these strikes, but preliminary indications suggest they will be quite successful.

Surprise of the Year: The Fall of Assad's Regime in Syria

On December 8, rebels completely seized the capital of the country, Damascus, and announced the total overthrow of Assad's regime. The opposition has already declared that dark times have ended in Syria and a new, brighter era has begun. This occurred after 50 years of oppression and 13 years of criminality. Assad himself fled the country.

The rapid collapse of the Syrian regime, backed by Russia since 2015, dealt a serious blow to Moscow's geopolitical ambitions. The loss of key military bases and diminished influence in the Middle East complicate the Kremlin's efforts to create a multipolar world.

Russia and Iran are already assessing the geopolitical losses (with Russia, as usual, trying to maintain a positive facade despite the unfavorable situation). Turkey stands to gain, while Israel is puzzled: instead of a formally hostile but predictable country (essentially a monarchy ruled by the Assad clan for over 50 years), a more hostile state led by Islamist groups may emerge next door. The informant explored why the collapse of the regime in Syria is particularly painful for Russia.