While Israel Digests the Election Results, Erdogan Sets Facts on the Ground | Dr. Eitan Lesri

Dr. Eitan Lesri analyzes Bilal Erdogan's visit to Beirut as part of a broad Turkish plan to exploit the political vacuum and the weakening of Hezbollah: taking over infrastructure, establishing trade corridors bypassing Israel, and proposing to deploy forces in southern Lebanon after the end of the UNIFIL mandate in 2027.

Dr. Eitan Lesri analyzes Bilal Erdogan's visit to Beirut as part of a broad Turkish plan to exploit the political vacuum and the weakening of Hezbollah in Lebanon. According to the article, the visit is not limited to routine diplomacy but aims to establish a Turkish presence through investments in infrastructure, social and religious institutions, and possibilities for security influence. On the economic front, Turkey is eyeing the port of Tripoli, the Rene Mouawad airport, and energy sources, and is examining a railway corridor from Saudi Arabia through Syria and Lebanon as a competitor to the IMEC corridor. The most alarming aspect, according to reports in the newspaper 'Al-Akhbar', is Bilal Erdogan's proposal to deploy Turkish forces in southern Lebanon after the end of the UNIFIL mandate in 2027, along with a willingness to equip and train the Lebanese army. The article warns of a heating 'cold war' between Israel and Turkey in Syria, and calls for formulating a continuous Israeli strategy that includes maintaining deterrence, coordination with Washington, and strengthening cooperation with Greece and Cyprus.