Black Box - The unseen water wars 01 09 2025 Ep24

In early 2025, Israeli forces advanced into southern Syria, seizing control of critical water infrastructure including the al-Mantara and al-Wahda dams, as well as the Yarmuk River. This strategic offensive, which largely went unreported amidst the region's broader chaos, gave Israel control over 80 percent of southern Syria's freshwater resources.

A violent clash in the village of Koya, which was overshadowed by other events, exemplified this quiet war for water, a vital resource often taken for granted. This reality confirms predictions that future Middle Eastern conflicts will be fought over water, not oil.

The situation is dire, with the per capita water share in the region plummeting far below the UN's water poverty line, making this struggle for control of essential resources the harshest and most overlooked chapter of the ongoing conflict, impacting every individual in the region.