America’s "Plan B" for the “New Middle East” emerges as a response to the failure of its initial strategy, which aimed to reshape the region through Israeli military dominance and the destabilization of key Resistance movements. The current strategy, focused on achieving geopolitical goals by leveraging sectarian divisions and supporting certain proxy forces, has evolved in response to shifting realities on the ground.

Failure of Plan A

America’s first plan (Plan A) hinged on Israeli military action to defeat the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon. The idea was that after defeating the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, "Israel" would deploy forces in the Golan Heights to attack Syria while Takfiri mercenaries would rise in Northwestern Syria to overthrow the Syrian government. From there, these forces would spill over into Iraq, toppling the PMF Resistance and unleashing covert networks within Iran to weaken the Iranian government and the Axis of Resistance on a broader front.

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However, this strategy collapsed when "Israel’s" military aggression in Lebanon was met with significant resistance, leading to the Israeli occupation entity begging for a ceasefire. This marked a strategic defeat for what many called the "Israel 2.0" project, signaling that the Lebanese Resistance had managed to thwart the initial plan.

Shift to Plan B

In response to the failure of Plan A, America turned to Plan B, which sought to achieve through political means what "Israel" could not accomplish militarily. Rather than relying on "Israel", America now focuses on undermining Lebanon’s Resistance by influencing the Lebanese political and military landscape. Key to this strategy is the involvement of US Special Forces and officials like Amos Hochstein, who are working to disarm the Lebanese Resistance and weaken its position within Lebanon.

This new phase also underscores the importance of Syria in America’s broader Middle East strategy. Syria, acting as a vital logistical hub for the Axis of Resistance, is central to any attempt to dismantle the coalition of forces opposing US and Israeli interests. To this end, America has continued to train and arm mercenaries, building upon the tactics seen during Operation Timber Sycamore, which sought to destabilize Syria and topple its government by using terrorist groups.

Resurrecting sectarian divisions

One of the underlying objectives of America’s strategy is to reignite sectarian tensions within the Muslim world, particularly between Sunni and Shiite masses. This was a tactic utilized during the "Arab Spring," when Turkey was positioned as a sponsor for Islamist groups across the region in a bid to fight the "Shia pole" led by Iran. By promoting sectarianism, America aims to weaken the Axis of Resistance and further divide the Muslim Ummah. Groups like ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham, which hold inherently sectarian ideologies, were seen as key instruments for this divide-and-conquer strategy.

The Axis of Resistance response

The Axis of Resistance has highlighted the real threat it poses to the imperialist project in West Asia, following the events of October 7. The unity of the Resistance front has weakened "Israel", which now faces internal fragmentation and an existential challenge. Just as the Axis of Resistance prevented the spread of terrorism in the past decade and ensured Syria's survival, its success in absorbing the initial shock of Aleppo's capture is even more crucial today. The Axis of Resistance will not allow Syria to fall and will re-capture all areas seized by the terrorists in due course.

This resilience underscores the strategic depth of the Axis, which continues to expand and strengthen its fronts. As highlighted by Iran’s Leader, Sayyed Khamenei, the Resistance is actively preparing for new phases of confrontation, positioning itself to thwart future US and Israeli efforts to reshape the region.