On December 1, 2024, significant military developments unfolded in Syria as rebel groups, notably the Islamist faction Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), launched a surprise offensive against government forces, capturing numerous towns in the northwest, including parts of Aleppo and Idlib provinces.
The assault reportedly faced minimal resistance, leading to claims from the attackers that they had seized the Aleppo airport and other strategic locations in Idlib and Hama. Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who had been silent amid the onslaught, issued a statement asserting that Syria would continue to defend its territories against what he termed 'terrorists and their supporters.'
Assad's government received assurances of support from allies including Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran. However, the Russian military's focus remains largely on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, raising questions about the extent of their involvement in Syria.
Russian state media reported that several fighter jets had engaged rebel positions, claiming around 300 fighters were killed in airstrikes, although these figures could not be independently verified. The recent offensive marks one of the most severe escalations in the Syrian civil war in years, a conflict that has already resulted in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions displaced since its inception in 2011.
Since 2020, the conflict had seen a relative stalemate, but this new wave of violence could signal a turning point in the ongoing struggle for power in the region.