Ten days ago, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad appeared secure in his rule, having weathered 13 years of civil war in Syria, which in recent years had settled into a low-intensity conflict maintaining a fragile status quo. Everything, however, has shifted dramatically in the past week. Assad has now lost a third city within seven days, along with two critical border crossings.
Clashes have also erupted between Druze communities and the Syrian army for the first time. According to reports, three people were killed in the Druze stronghold of Al-Suwayda, where Druze militias seized a police station and the city's central prison, releasing all inmates. This escalation followed protests by hundreds in the main square demanding the fall of Assad's regime.
Rebels releasing captives from Al-Suwayda prison
Jihadist rebels launched a surprise offensive on the same day a cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah took place. Within a week, they captured Aleppo, took control of Hama on Thursday and are now at the outskirts of Homs — taking three of Syria's four largest cities.
Meanwhile, U.S.-backed Kurdish rebels, operating at the same time, seized Deir ez-Zor, Syria's sixth-largest city, severing what was believed to be a critical smuggling route between Iran and Hezbollah.
Syrian security sources told Reuters that U.S.-backed Kurdish forces captured Deir ez-Zor in eastern Syria, 450 km (280 miles) from Damascus after the Syrian army and pro-Iranian militias retreated earlier in the day.
An Iraqi official said the Kurds are advancing eastward toward Al Bukamal near the Iraqi border, with plans to capture it within 24 hours. Syrian military sources confirmed that the rebels have already taken the nearby border crossing between Syria and Iraq.
Rebels taking over Jordanian border crossing
Meanwhile, the rebel advance in southern Syria continues under the leadership of the jihadist group Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham. They are moving southward and reportedly captured the Nasib border crossing, Syria's only civilian crossing with Jordan, prompting Jordan to close its side of the crossing.
Earlier today the IDF reported it was reinforcing its troops in the Golan Heights. Units from several training divisions have been redirected in the past 24 to oversee the border with Syria. The IDF is concerned about potential incidents spiraling out of control, leading to border breaches or infiltration into Israeli communities.
Israel's Security Cabinet is set to convene twice to discuss these developments — on Saturday evening and Sunday.
The IDF’s reinforcements in the Golan include a recruit battalion comprising two to three companies focused on security patrols. The area will also be bolstered by air support. "The IDF is monitoring events and preparing for all scenarios, both defensive and offensive," the military said in a statement. "We won’t allow threats near Israel's border and will act to neutralize any danger to Israeli citizens."
To counter the rebel advance toward Homs, Hezbollah has reportedly deployed a small team of "supervisory forces" to assist Assad’s army, according to Lebanese security officials speaking to Reuters.
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A Syrian military source and two regional officials linked to Tehran noted that overnight, Hezbollah’s special forces — possibly from its Radwan Froce — crossed from Lebanon and took positions in Homs. Meanwhile, Russia has ordered its citizens to evacuate Syria immediately.
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham leader Abu Mohammad al-Julani outlined the group’s objectives in an interview with CNN. "When we talk about objectives, the goal of the revolution remains the overthrow of this regime. It is our right to use all available means to achieve that goal,” he said.