After the fall of the Assad regime in 2024, Syria’s new government is facing a host of challenges—from strengthening the economy and rebuilding state institutions to securing its borders and preserving its sovereignty. On their own, these are extremely daunting tasks, but Damascus is tackling them against a very volatile regional backdrop after the US waged yet another war on Iran on 28 February.Amid these myriad challenges, Al Majalla chose Ahmed al-Sharaa: the next battle as this week’s cover story. The question now for the country’s new president is what battle awaits him first, and whether he can keep Syria from becoming an arena for regional conflict. Our writers share their analyses from the Syrian, Lebanese, and Iraqi angles.