Syrian armed rebels have launched a major offensive, entering Aleppo for the first time since government forces reclaimed the city in 2016. The surprise attack began with the rebels capturing several villages outside Aleppo, reigniting conflict that had remained relatively stagnant for years.
Rebel fighters were seen in geolocated videos advancing into western Aleppo, driving through empty streets near landmarks such as the Zine El Abidine Mosque. This marks a significant escalation in the long-running Syrian conflict, signaling renewed clashes between opposition forces and the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
The Syrian government has described the offensive as a “major attack,” claiming to bolster its defensive positions, though residents reported that regime forces have retreated from some western neighborhoods. The newly formed rebel coalition, the Military Operations Command, confirmed its entry into Aleppo, further consolidating control by seizing the government’s Military Scientific Research Center on the city’s outskirts.
Videos also showed rebels removing a Syrian flag from a statue in Aleppo’s New Aleppo district, demonstrating their continued advance. Meanwhile, Iranian Brigadier General Kioumars Pourhashemi was reportedly killed during the fighting.
The violence has also led to tragic civilian casualties. An artillery strike on Aleppo University’s student housing killed four people, with the Syrian government accusing opposition forces of the attack, which rebels denied. In addition, the White Helmets rescue group reported at least 15 civilian deaths, including children, in airstrikes and shelling of rebel-held areas in Aleppo and Idlib.
Iranian and Russian allies of the Syrian regime responded with airstrikes in Idlib, killing several civilians and damaging infrastructure, including a gas station and a school.
Syrian Rebels Launch Offensive, Retake Parts of Aleppo, Escalating Tensions After Years of Stalemate
The conflict’s regional and international dimensions have resurfaced, with Iran accusing the United States and Israel of supporting the rebel resurgence. Iran and Russia, both key Assad allies, reiterated their backing of the Syrian government. Videos captured the devastating aftermath of airstrikes in Idlib, highlighting the human cost of the renewed conflict. Russia urged the Syrian authorities to restore constitutional order in the region, underscoring the geopolitical stakes tied to the Syrian civil war.
This flare-up breaks the relative quiet of recent years following a 2020 ceasefire agreement. Syria’s civil war, which began during the 2011 Arab Spring, has led to widespread devastation, with over 300,000 civilian deaths and millions displaced.
The involvement of regional and global powers turned the conflict into a proxy war, compounded by the rise and fall of ISIS. While the conflict had remained subdued in recent years, this escalation in Aleppo signals that the war’s underlying tensions remain unresolved, with devastating implications for Syrian civilians.
