Representative Mike Waltz (R-FL), who is set to become President-elect Donald Trump's national security adviser, discussed the ramifications of this shift during an appearance on Fox News's *Special Report*. He emphasized that Israel should receive significant credit for putting Iran on the defensive.

"While it's positive that Assad is no longer in power, this creates a vacuum. We're still evaluating the new group [Hayat Tahrir al-Shams (HTS)] and its leader, [Abu Mohammed] al-Jolani, who is known as a terrorist. On one hand, he isn't currently executing former Assad officials, which is a small sign of progress. However, we're monitoring the situation closely," Waltz stated.

Waltz commended Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for "strong actions" against Hezbollah, which he believes have significantly weakened Iran's position, especially as Russia is preoccupied with its conflict in Ukraine, leaving the Assad regime exposed.

Host Bret Baier referred to a recent post by President-elect Trump on Truth Social, where he urged against U.S. involvement in Syria. Baier raised concerns about al-Jolani, a former al-Qaeda affiliate, potentially rising to power and gaining access to Assad's chemical weapons.

"President Trump was elected with a strong mandate to avoid more military entanglements in the Middle East. However, he remains open to decisive action if necessary. Remember when Assad used chemical weapons in the past? Trump responded decisively then, and under Netanyahu's leadership, Israel has taken out several of those chemical sites. We are monitoring the situation, and if American security is threatened, I have no doubt Trump would act," Waltz explained.

Baier noted that current national security adviser Jake Sullivan claimed their actions had weakened both Iran and Russia. However, Waltz disagreed, asserting, "Iran has been emboldened in recent years, but Israel has taken a firm stance, effectively targeting Hezbollah and Hamas. They have also acted in Syria to counter Iran's maneuvers, notably dismantling Iran's air defense capabilities."

"Iran is clearly on the defensive due to Israel's actions. While the Biden administration has supplied weapons, they have also held back on some. Overall, Israel deserves significant recognition for putting Iran on its back foot," Waltz concluded.

Photo: Reuters