Armed groups launch major offensive against Syrian forces in Aleppo

Armed groups, including Hay'at Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and other factions, entered the northern Syrian city of Aleppo on Friday after launching an intense attack on Syrian forces that began two days prior. This assault is one of the most severe rounds of fighting seen in years.

The Syrian army reported that its forces are actively countering the large-scale offensive, which is utilizing a range of heavy and medium weapons, along with drones, and is bolstered by substantial numbers of foreign fighters.

The army claimed to have inflicted significant casualties on the militants, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries, along with the destruction of dozens of vehicles and armored units, including 17 drones.

The military is reinforcing its positions along various fronts with additional troops and equipment to prevent breaches by the armed factions and repel their attacks. The army also stated that it had regained control of several points that had been compromised in recent hours.

According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), the ongoing military operations have resulted in the deaths of 255 individuals, predominantly combatants from both sides.

This conflict is unfolding during a critical period in the Middle East, coinciding with a ceasefire between Hezbollah and "Israel" in Lebanon.

As of Friday, the armed factions had gained control over more than fifty towns and villages in northern Syria, marking the largest territorial advance against Bashar Al-Assad's regime in recent years.

While a Syrian security source indicated that the roads leading to Aleppo remained open, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that militants had successfully cut off the route connecting Aleppo and Damascus.

The fighting has displaced over 14,000 individuals, with nearly half of them being children, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated Iran's support for the Syrian government, its people, and its army in their fight against terrorism following a phone conversation with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam Al-Sabbagh.