The rebels have already captured a significant portion of the territory, including most of the second-largest city, Aleppo, after the Syrian army quickly abandoned its positions.
According to the BBC, the latest fighting is taking place near the strategically important city of Hama, with Russia, a key ally of the government, responding with airstrikes on rebel positions.
The conflict in Syria has been ongoing for more than a decade, and while parts of the country are under government control, significant areas remain out of its reach. These include northern and eastern regions where control is held by armed groups supported by the U.S. In northwestern Syria, Islamist militant groups play a major role, particularly Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which has dominated the provinces of Aleppo and Idlib for several years.
The rebels, primarily consisting of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and the Turkey-backed Syrian National Army, have announced the start of an offensive, claiming it is a response to the "aggression" of government forces. This offensive comes at a time when government troops and their allies, including Iran and Russia, are preoccupied with other conflicts. The Lebanese group Hezbollah, which actively supports Assad, has recently suffered from Israeli strikes, weakening its forces in Syria. Additionally, the war in Ukraine is also drawing significant attention from Russia.
Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, which was formed in 2012 as the al-Nusra Front under the auspices of al-Qaeda, is considered one of the strongest Islamist factions in northwestern Syria. Despite its jihadist ideology, it seeks to gain control over this territory, expanding its influence over local administrative structures and even establishing what is known as the "Salvation Government of Syria." In 2016, the group severed ties with al-Qaeda and rebranded itself as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, but it continues to be affiliated with the terrorist network.
Source: bbc .