We are "two and a half years into" the Syria war, "and not even half way" through, says Deborah Amos, veteran National Public Radio Middle East correspondent, who has covered the brutal conflict that has killed 100,000 Syrians, and made almost 2 million refugees. "Everyone has to get used to that."

The conflict’s battle lines have shifted in recent months, suggesting Syrian regime forces are moving to carve out a "little Syria," and ensure its access to supply lines in Lebanon, Amos said in a telephone interview with Al-Monitor Friday (August 2) during a break in the United States.

"What you've got now" is a battle between regime and rebel forces "for roads and access," Amos said. "It used to be for checkpoints and military installations. But now, the regime has to be sure it has access from Lebanon into Syria." The rebels, meantime, “focus on access to Jordan and Turkey.”

“This is what the war’s about now,” Amos said, describing the virtual four “walls” of Little Syria as including Homs to the north, Palmyra to the east, the Lebanese border and coast to the West.