Maariv – Adapted

Nearly a day after Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iran, left Beirut after a widely-covered trip, the Israeli army launched a missile attack on Hezbollah weapons and ammunition storage facilities near the Syrian city of Homs. This came as a flagrant message to Iran after a day its Foreign Minister had just visited the region near Israel's border.

Iran is making political gains, however, that will be challenging to eliminate with missiles at a time when Israel is keeping track of the missiles it fires and the military stores it destroys. Following the restoration of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Iranian foreign minister's visit takes place, so that Iran can maintain its position. Iran must coordinate its attitudes with those of nations that, up until a very recent time, were sworn foes.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is expected to travel to Damascus, where he will meet with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and sign a number of political pacts. King Salman of Saudi Arabia is anticipated to visit Tehran later this year.

Although it is not yet known if Iran will be willing to pay the price, a new network of relations that grants Iran a new regional status and relieves it of its Arab isolation may come with a cost. This price will compel it to seek to moderate its stance on the Lebanon presidency in favor of Saudi Arabia's stance. Also, to accede to a proposal other than the one Hezbollah is presenting.

From Israel's perspective, the immediate effects could be a reduction in its freedom of military action in Syria, or even its elimination. This is because if the Saudi Arabia-led steps succeed and Syria transforms from a zone of fire open to all sides into a sovereign state supported by Saudi Arabia, Israel will be forced to play by the same rules and enter the same arena with Hezbollah in Lebanon.