Russian Babushka dolls with football
Russian Babushka dolls with footballiStock

The Syrian civil war has waned recently, and now the Assad regime controls most of Syria. But the continued existence of territory held by rebels and Israeli-Iranian confrontation on Syrian soil continue to have capacity for explosive potential.

Out of concern that certain actions would lead to an escalation in the Syrian situation, the Putin administration conveyed clear messages to all those operating in the region that they are expected to act with "heightened responsibility" in the near future, reports Israel Hayom.

The messages conveyed did not explicitly link the World Cup to Syria, but those involved in the issue are aware that this consideration looms in the background.

Hosting the World Cup soccer matches on Russian soil is considered a personal project of President Putin and a source of national pride in Russia.

Despite Russia's significant status in the region, it is not clear how much the Russian message will actually be implemented. Israel is not expected to change its policy of zero tolerance for Iranian entrenchment in Syria, but it is estimated that in the coming weeks it will try to act with "heightened sensitivity".