 The Assyrian king Shalmaneser I had seized the opportunity to vanquish Hurria and Mitanni, occupy their lands, and expand up to the head of the Euphrates in Anatolia and into Babylonia, Ancient Iran, Aram (Syria), Canaan (Palestine) and Phoenicia, while Muwatalli was preoccupied with the Egyptians.The Hittites had vainly tried to preserve the Mitanni kingdom with military support.Assyria now posed just as great a threat to Hittite trade routes as Egypt ever had.