Syria’s Civil War Escalates with Rebel Offensive in Aleppo amid Regional Tensions

The 13-year civil war in Syria has intensified with a surprise offensive by rebel forces, capturing Aleppo, one of the country’s largest cities and a historic cultural and commercial hub. This marks the first opposition attack on Aleppo since 2016 when a Russian-led air campaign helped Syrian President Bashar Assad regain control.

The latest offensive, led by the jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has seen rebels move into surrounding areas, including Idlib and Hama provinces. In response, the Syrian military, supported by its allies, has launched airstrikes and sent reinforcements to try and halt the insurgent advance. The renewed fighting threatens to open another violent front in the Middle East, at a time when Israel, backed by the U.S., is engaged in conflict with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Experts, including Robert Ford, the last U.S. ambassador to Syria, suggest that Israeli strikes on Syrian and Hezbollah targets, along with Russia’s preoccupation with its war in Ukraine, have provided an opening for Syria’s rebels.