Russian occupiers in Syria.Photo: from open sources.
Syrian rebels from the Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group have launched a large-scale military operation called “Deterring Aggression” against the Bashar al-Assad regime and its allies, including pro-Iranian forces and Russian mercenaries. This was reported by the Time Ukraine Israel portal, citing Israel’s Channel 9.
Operation Deterrence: the new dynamics of the conflict
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the offensive began after the end of the ceasefire in Lebanon. The rebels attacked key positions of pro-Iranian groups, including Hezbollah and Palestinian fighters from the Al-Quds Brigades. In the morning, they captured a number of settlements on the outskirts of Aleppo and approached the city within 10 kilometres. In addition, they took control of the Syrian Army’s strategic base “Fouj-46”, located to the west of Aleppo.
Losses among Russian mercenaries
During the fighting, dozens of Russian mercenaries and members of pro-Iranian groups suffered losses. This information has been confirmed by both the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Russian military sources. One of the reports on the Russian propaganda channel reads:
“The cowardly allies, known as ‘sadyki’, abandoned their positions to save themselves. This led to serious losses in Russian units”.
International perspective: what it means for the region
The HTS operation demonstrates the growing resistance to pro-Iranian groups in Syria. The events also underscore the weakness of Russia’s positions in the region, which are increasingly under attack from both Syrian rebels and other anti-government forces.
This conflict is also important for Israel, which has been opposing the expansion of Iranian influence in the Middle East for many years. Successful actions by the HTS could weaken Hezbollah and other terrorist groups that threaten Israel’s security.
Ukraine and Israel: a joint fight against terror
The situation in Syria once again demonstrates how Russian aggression is spreading to different regions of the world. Ukraine, which is fighting Russian occupiers on its soil, and Israel, which is confronting pro-Iranian forces, have a common interest in fighting terrorist and occupation groups.
The support of the international community and coordination of efforts by democratic states are key to success in the fight against terror and aggression.
