Russia launched a series of air strikes in Syria on Sunday, targeting key rebel positions as opposition forces advanced toward the south. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported that the strikes killed four people and wounded 50 others in Idlib, a city in north-western Syria. Rural areas of Idlib and Hama, recently captured by rebel groups, were also hit.

This latest offensive, which began earlier in the week, marks some of the fiercest fighting in Syria’s civil war in recent years. Since Wednesday, over 300 people have been killed, including at least 20 civilians.

Rebels Take Aleppo Amid Russian Strikes

For the first time since 2016, Russian forces carried out air strikes on Aleppo on Saturday. Rebel fighters, led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), made significant gains in the city, capturing large sections with minimal resistance. Aleppo, once a stronghold of the opposition, fell to government forces in 2016, but it is now back in rebel hands.

The rebels have pushed southward, advancing into several towns near Hama, Syria’s fourth-largest city. Syrian forces have drawn up defensive lines around key towns in the region, with both Syrian and Russian warplanes intensifying air strikes on rebel positions. These strikes have resulted in multiple casualties.

Syrian Military Responds

The Syrian military has reinforced its defenses in the region, deploying additional troops, heavy artillery, and rocket launchers. The government claims to have recaptured several towns from the rebels and stopped their advance. President Bashar al-Assad has vowed to protect Syria’s stability, promising to eliminate the terrorist threat with the help of allies, including Russia and Iran.

Iran’s Foreign Minister, Abbas Aragchi, expressed his country’s full support for the Syrian government and military, signaling continued backing in the face of the ongoing offensive.

The State of Syria’s Civil War

The Syrian civil war began in 2011, when protests against Assad’s government were met with violent crackdowns. Since then, the war has claimed the lives of nearly half a million people. While much of the fighting has died down since a 2020 ceasefire, opposition forces continue to control Idlib and surrounding areas.

Idlib is located just 55 km from Aleppo, which was previously a rebel stronghold. The current offensive, spearheaded by HTS and allied factions backed by Turkey, is the largest escalation in the region in years.

Rebels Gain Ground and Impose Curfew

Rebels have taken control of Aleppo’s airport and several nearby towns. A curfew has been imposed, starting at 5 p.m. local time. The rebels have also advanced southward toward Hama, while the Syrian army reportedly withdrew from some areas. However, state media disputes these claims, with military sources saying the rebels launched broad attacks along both the Aleppo and Idlib fronts, covering over 100 km of territory.

Russian Involvement in the Conflict

Russian air strikes in Aleppo and Idlib signal Moscow’s continued support for Assad. The strikes on Aleppo were the first since the city was recaptured from the opposition in 2016. The escalation is a sign that Russia remains heavily involved in Syria’s conflict, using air power to target rebel forces.

As the fighting intensifies, many residents of Aleppo are fleeing, with reports showing long lines of cars on roads leaving the city. Smoke was visible rising from the skyline, as people attempt to escape the violence.

The ongoing reliance on Russian and Iranian support, along with Syria’s failure to adhere to a 2015 UN peace plan, has contributed to the continued instability in the country, according to a U.S. spokesperson.

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Syrian insurgent groups launched a significant attack on government-controlled areas in the country’s northwest, seizing territory in the region. The government and its allies responded with airstrikes and artillery fire to counter the insurgents’ advances, according to opposition groups.

The violence has displaced thousands of families and forced humanitarian organizations to pause some services. Volunteers from the Syrian Civil Defense (the White Helmets) reported that at least 18 people, including three children and two women, were killed in two villages in western Aleppo following airstrikes. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a prominent war monitor, stated that the airstrikes were carried out by Russian warplanes.

Syria’s armed forces said the offensive was led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a group that controls much of northwest Syria. The government claims that the offensive violates a 2019 de-escalation agreement between Turkey, which supports opposition factions, and Russia and Iran, which back the Syrian government. This agreement had effectively frozen the frontlines and prevented government forces from advancing into Idlib, the last major opposition-held area.

“The situation will return to how it was,” Syria’s army declared in a statement, emphasizing their ongoing efforts to confront what they call “terrorist organizations” with support from allied forces.

The insurgent attack began early Wednesday. Opposition factions claimed to have captured more than 15 villages in northwest Aleppo, along with a military base and weapons. They also reported taking several government soldiers hostage. On Thursday, the offensive expanded into Idlib province, where government forces control key locations, including a strategic highway and a town previously held by insurgents. These claims have not been independently verified.

Opposition fighters stated that their goal was to create conditions for the return of thousands of displaced people who fled government airstrikes in recent weeks.

The offensive follows weeks of rising tensions, with activists saying that government and Russian forces have intensified their bombardment of the opposition’s last stronghold. The International Rescue Committee reported that at least 7,000 families have been displaced by the recent violence, and several schools and health facilities have suspended operations, including those run by the IRC.

The offensive comes at a time when Iran-linked groups, which have supported the Syrian government since 2015, are focused on their own struggles at home. Israel and Hezbollah, a key member of the Iran-backed alliance, have been engaged in an escalating conflict since September. A ceasefire was announced on the same day the opposition launched their offensive. Israel has also increased attacks on Hezbollah and Iran-linked targets in Syria in recent months.

HTS, formerly known as the Nusra Front, was once affiliated with al-Qaeda but distanced itself from the group in recent years.

Russia and Iran have backed Syrian government forces since the outbreak of the war in 2011. Meanwhile, Turkey has supported various opposition groups and established a military presence in parts of northwest Syria. The United States has focused its support on Kurdish forces fighting the Islamic State in the eastern part of the country.

Turkey said Thursday it was closely monitoring the ongoing offensive in northern Syria. Turkish defense officials confirmed that measures have been taken to protect Turkish troops in the region.

Turkish security officials explained that the initial attack by the opposition was limited to Aleppo, where Syrian government forces began retreating. The offensive grew as government forces pulled back. The operation is believed to have been planned for months to drive government forces and allied militias out of the area to protect civilians. Turkey had previously attempted to prevent such operations to avoid further escalating tensions, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

The Turkish officials added that the ultimate goal of the offensive was to restore the boundaries of the de-escalation zone established by the 2019 agreement.

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Israeli forces have launched airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut for the third consecutive day, with new reports confirming attacks in at least three areas before dawn on Thursday. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) targeted the Ghobeiry neighborhood later in the day. Avichay Adraee, the IDF’s Arabic-language spokesperson, issued new evacuation orders for southern Beirut, warning that Israeli forces would target buildings allegedly used by Hezbollah.

In a separate attack, Lebanon’s civil defense reported the complete destruction of its center in Baalbek, located northeast of Beirut. Several personnel were trapped inside at the time of the strike, and ongoing search and rescue efforts are underway. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health confirmed that 12 people were killed in what it called a “barbaric” assault on a state-run health center.

Meanwhile, in the southern Gaza Strip, an airstrike in the Mawasi region, which Israel had designated as a humanitarian zone, led to a massive explosion. The blast destroyed equipment at one of the evacuated clinics run by Doctors Without Borders. The strike also hit tents sheltering displaced people, injuring at least seven. The IDF said that it had issued prior warnings before the airstrike, which was aimed at dismantling a launcher intended for use against Israel.

Other Key Developments

• Syrian Strikes: Syrian state media reported that Israeli airstrikes killed at least 15 people in Damascus and the Rif Dimashq governorate. The strikes occurred during a visit by Ali Larijani, a senior advisor to Iran’s Supreme Leader, who met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
• Hostages Discussion: U.S. Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump discussed the issue of American hostages held in Gaza in a meeting at the White House. National security advisor Jake Sullivan said the U.S. is prepared to work with the incoming team to address this issue.
• Soccer Match Security: In Paris, 4,000 law enforcement officers have been deployed ahead of a soccer match between Israel and France, following violence after a previous match between Israeli and Dutch teams.
• Casualty Update: The ongoing conflict has led to significant casualties. The Gaza Health Ministry reports 43,736 deaths and 103,370 injuries in Gaza. Lebanon’s Health Ministry reports 3,386 deaths and 14,417 injuries. In Israel, the death toll from Hamas’s October 7th attack is estimated at 1,200, including more than 300 soldiers. Israel also reports 373 soldiers killed in its military operation in Gaza.

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