Introduction

The strategic degradation of the Syrian Navy as a viable military actor highlights one of the most pressing challenges facing Syria’s post-conflict recovery: the reestablishment of maritime sovereignty under economic, political, and security constraints. The collapse of naval capabilities did not occur suddenly with the December 2024 Israeli missile strikes, but rather it put an end to the decades-long neglected and systemically underfunded navy. Long before the physical destruction of key vessels and port infrastructure, the Syrian Navy had already considerably lost its operational relevance, being stuck on Soviet-era platforms and a shrinking, aging personnel pool. In a region with volatile maritime boundaries, asymmetric threats, and sensitive geopolitical balances, Syria’s inability to exercise even minimal maritime control leaves the state vulnerable—not only to external military pressure but also to the illicit flows of arms, narcotics, and fighters that undermine political stabilization efforts.