The Syrian rebel forces have taken “complete and rapid control” of the northern countryside of Homs – Syria’s third largest city – Saudi news channel Al Arabiya/Al Hadath reported on Friday morning, citing sources.
This comes despite Assad’s army’s heavy shelling of the Rastan Bridge, which connects the cities of Hama and Homs.
Al Hadath added that the rebels’ advance came without any significant resistance, meaning they have successfully entered the towns of Talbiseh and Rastan, in the Homs countryside, and captured them.
KAN also reported on Friday morning that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s military has withdrawn from the city of Inhal, roughly 20 km from the country’s border with Israel.
Local armed groups were seen clashing with regime forces in Daraa, as well as in Nawa, which is about 13 km from Israel, the report said.
Daraa is situated very close to the Syrian-Jordanian border as well as the border with Israel.
The rebels have captured the cities of Hama and Aleppo within a week, and even released prisoners from Hamas’s central prison, KAN added.
Arab social media on Friday morning circulated footage of the rebels in Syria approaching Homs, the country’s third-largest city. A resident of Syria’s coastal area told Reuters that thousands of people had begun arriving there from Homs, fearing the rebels’ rapid advance.
Good morning from a free Talbisah, just 10km north of Homs city!Yesterday, Talbisah and Al-Rastan were freed from within. Brave locals armed themselves and ousted Assad’s forces, reclaiming their towns. We are now in a hardcore anti-Assad territories. Homs battle will be easier. pic.twitter.com/PCD1tGKZJI
— Mazen Hassoun (@HassounMazen) December 6, 2024
Concerns in Israel
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has convened a discussion on the situation in Syria, following discussions between Defense Minister Israel Katz, Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, and senior IDF General Staff officials.
According to KAN, there is concern in Israel’s security establishment that the rebels will reach southern Syria, before arriving at the Israeli border in the Golan Heights.
Israel is also concerned that it does not see any significant resistance from Assad’s army, leading to fears that Syrian military weapons will fall into the hands of the rebels, who could also fall into the hands of Hezbollah.
On Thursday night, the IAF conducted strikes on Hezbollah’s weapon-smuggling routes near the Syrian regime’s crossings at the Syrian-Lebanese border. The IDF said it will not tolerate threats near the Lebanon-Syria border and will thwart any threat against the State of Israel.
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