The Assad regime is under greater pressure as Islamic rebels take more ground; Israel, US watch

Anti-Assad rebel forces captured the Syrian city of Hama on Thursday, marking one of the key milestones in Syria's 13-year civil war. The rebels' rapid advances, including the fall of Aleppo, seem to have caught many off guard.

During Thursday's Pentagon briefing, Maj. General Patrick Ryder acknowledged the disturbing consequences of what is happening in Syria but insisted that the US is not involved in ongoing wars.

“We are asking all parties to lower the bar to ensure the protection of young children in the region,” Ryder said.

Ryder added that the US is still aware of the potential for continued death and destruction but does not maintain a significant role in the conflict. There are about 900 US troops in Syria as part of the campaign to defeat the Islamic State.

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The surprise attack by Assad's forces, led by the Salafi-jihadist movement Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) under the command of Abu Mohammed al-Golani, had reportedly been planned for four years.

HTS is Syria's most powerful rebel group, which originated from the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front but said it severed ties with the group in 2016. The group controls much of northwestern Syria and has led recent advances against Assad's forces. The US and other nations have designated it as a terrorist organization.

Rebel leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani underscored the growing tensions in the region, warning Iran-backed Iraqi forces to avoid involvement.

“We urge him [Iraq’s prime minister] and so that Iraq does not enter into the flames of a new war similar to what is happening in Syria,” Golani said in the video.

Rebels in northwest Syria seized government military vehicles on the way to Kweris Airport in the eastern countryside of Aleppo Dec. 2, 2024. (Rami Alsayed/NurPhoto via APRami Alsayed/NurPhoto via AP)

In addition to HTS, there are growing fears that ISIS wants to exploit the situation. The US-backed and Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) announced measures on Thursday to counter the group's resurgence.

“The terrorist organization ISIS has recently announced that it controls important parts of the deserts of Homs and Deir Ezzor, taking many cities and good positions from the government forces of Damascus,” said the head of the SDF press in a post on X, which was previously on Twitter.

In 2014, ISIS controlled large areas of Syria and Iraq.

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Israeli officials are closely monitoring what is happening. The fall of key Syrian government facilities to rebel forces, including air bases and weapons caches, prompted emergency security meetings.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi emphasized Israel's readiness to deal with any emerging threats near its borders.

“The IDF will not tolerate threats near the Israel-Syria border and will take action to eliminate any danger to the Israeli people,” the IDF said in a statement.

Displaced Kurds leave a refugee camp north of Aleppo and flee to Afrin on December 4, 2024. (Ugur Yildirim/DIA Images/Abaca/Sipa USA)

Israel's Channel 12 news reported that security officials are concerned that rebels have seized sites linked to Syria's chemical weapons program. Although most of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile was dismantled in 2013 under international agreements, experts warn that undeclared stockpiles could pose serious threats if found by extremist groups.

Analysts say the Assad regime's reliance on Russian and Iranian support has weakened amid shifting national priorities. With Russia preoccupied with its war in Ukraine and Hezbollah suffering heavy losses in its conflict with Israel, the regime's forces appear vulnerable. Analysts suggest that the fall of Homs, a key city south of Hama, could isolate Damascus from its coastal strongholds and signal the regime's potential collapse.

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As the war continues, the humanitarian crisis continues to deepen in northern and northwestern Syria. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the escalating conflict has displaced thousands of people, with many fleeing from Tel Rifaat to northeastern Syria.

With more than 280,000 civilians facing displacement in the latest violence, experts warn that ISIS and other extremist groups could exploit the chaos, posing a threat not only to Syria but to the wider region.

Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this article.