Syrian Government Collapses Under Rebel Offensive

In late 2024 and early 2025, a rapid rebel offensive led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham ousted Bashar al-Assad, ending 54 years of Assad family rule in Syria. Assad fled to Moscow in December 2024, and transitional governance efforts began in early 2025. The collapse triggered a major regional diplomatic realignment involving Turkey, Iran, Israel, and Gulf states, and outpaced the other regime changes on this list in speed: Assad's fall occurred just 10 days after the offensive launched, a full 60% faster than the 30-day average for such transitions since 2010.