The Syrian army reported significant losses after rebel forces led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched a major offensive in northwest Syria, capturing significant portions of Aleppo and the city of Maraat al-Numan in Idlib province, Reuters reports.
This surprise assault marks the most significant challenge to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s rule in years, reigniting the Syrian conflict, which had largely been in a stalemate since 2020. Rebel forces reportedly advanced rapidly and captured large areas of Aleppo, which had been under government control since 2016. The Syrian army began a redeployment to strengthen defense lines and announced plans for a counteroffensive, with Russian and Syrian airstrikes targeting insurgents.
The conflict comes amid broader regional instability, with Iran-backed forces in Syria supporting Assad distracted by the recent conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon. Iran accused the US and Israel of instigating the offensive, while Turkey, a supporter of the rebels, reportedly gave tacit approval to the operation, though Ankara officially called for de-escalation.
