Four years after one of the most audacious operations in the Syrian conflict, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has officially claimed responsibility for the 2020 Jabala Operation in southern Idlib. Previously unacknowledged by HTS, the operation, carried out by the group’s elite Red Bands Brigade, took place on September 17, 2020, targeting a critical artillery installation held by Assad regime forces and their Russian allies in the Jabal al-Zawiya region.
At the time, HTS chose not to claim the operation for undisclosed reasons publicly. Now, in a statement released by its military wing, HTS has confirmed that the Red Bands Brigade successfully infiltrated and destroyed seven M46 self-propelled artillery guns at the site, weapons central to the regime’s long-range precision strikes on civilians in the liberated areas.
The strike had a severe impact on the regime’s military capabilities, killing or wounding 63 personnel, including 14 high-ranking officers. The base was a key part of the Assad regime’s artillery network, used to support offensive operations against the liberated territories. The destruction of the base delivered a significant blow to the regime’s ability to launch such strikes and forced them to heighten security in the region following the attack.
The Jabala Operation is now considered one of the most significant military actions against Assad regime forces since the 2020 ceasefire brokered between Russia and Turkey. HTS’s official acknowledgment of the strike demonstrates its continued commitment to military operations against the Assad regime and its Russian backers. HTS has increased hit-and-run tactics against regime targets in recent years, solidifying its commitment to the Syrian people’s refusal to engage in any form of reconciliation with the Assad regime.
The Jabala Operation was not just a tactical victory but also a symbolic one, highlighting the ability of revolutionary forces to strike at the heart of regime military power, despite its ongoing air support from Russian forces.
While the Assad regime and its Russian allies have regained nominal control over vast parts of the country, Idlib remains a region that has become a focal point for the remaining revolutionary opposition. As the fourth anniversary of the Jabala Operation is marked, the legacy of the strike continues to resonate in Syria’s ongoing conflict.
 has officially claimed responsibility for the 2020 Jabala Operation in southern Idlib.){kind=link}