ALBAWABA - On the fourth day of its "Deterring Aggression" onslaught, the Syrian opposition declared a major increase in its grip over Aleppo, seizing key parts of the city. The conflict grew more intense as Russian airplanes carried out their first raids on Aleppo areas since 2016, and the Syrian military confirmed significant deaths among its forces.
Critical sites such as Abu al-Duhur military airport, Kafranbel, portions of Saraqib's countryside, and Maarrat al-Numan in southern Idlib were reportedly taken by opposition groups. They claimed to have taken control of important military equipment, including ammunition storage facilities, tanks, and rocket launchers. As the confrontations intensified, Aleppo authorities responded by closing the city's airport and canceling all flights.
Large swaths of Aleppo's western and southern regions, including important locations like the governorate council, the municipal palace, and the Umayyad Mosque, were also declared to be under opposition control. As they took their positions, they imposed a short curfew in Aleppo to protect civilians.
In Aleppo, fierce fighting persisted between Syrian government forces and Iranian-backed militias in the northern suburbs and Kurdish-led organizations in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafieh districts. In order to prepare for counteroffensives, the Syrian Ministry of Defense acknowledged withdrawing from some sites but reported reclaiming others.
Russian and Syrian aircraft increased their airstrikes on regions controlled by the opposition in Aleppo and Idlib in retaliation. According to Russia's defense ministry, 200 opposition fighters were killed by its airstrikes in a 24-hour period. According to the Syrian government, its troops were reassembling in preparation for a concerted counteroffensive to recover lost ground.
Internationally, Iranian authorities charged that Israel and the United States were escalating the confrontation in order to destabilize the area. The U.S. denied any role in the opposition's latest offensive, describing it as an unanticipated event, while Turkey denounced attacks on civilians in Idlib. Aleppo continues to be at the center of Syria's changing war as the fighting intensifies.
