Revolutionary forces in liberated northern Syria launched a major defensive assault on Wednesday morning, targeting the Assad regime, Hezbollah, and Iranian positions in response to months of relentless attacks on civilians. The campaign, led by the Command of Military Operations (CMO) in Idlib, seeks to halt a displacement campaign that has uprooted thousands of people and intensified suffering as winter begins.
The assault follows Tuesday’s massacre in the city of Ariha, where artillery fire by Assad regime forces struck a boarding school, killing three children and injuring 14 civilians, most of them children. Over the past months, the regime and its allies have carried out numerous attacks, forcing more than 70,000 civilians to flee their homes.
Hassan Abdulghani, a Military Commander in the CMO clarified the operation in an official statement, “We announce the launch of an operation to deter aggression. The objective of this military operation is to break the enemy’s plans by delivering a calculated preemptive strike against the positions of its militias.”
“The criminal regime’s military build-up threatens the security of the liberated areas,” he continued. Eyewitnesses report that the operation began on two main axes in the western countryside of Aleppo, where artillery fire and clashes erupted early this morning. Media sources close to Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) confirmed the offensive, emphasizing its defensive nature in light of recent civilian casualties and escalating attacks by Assad regime forces, supported by Russia and Iran.
In response, Assad regime forces launched missile strikes on Darat Izza, a city in Aleppo province, further exacerbating the region’s humanitarian crisis. Warplanes were also reported over Idlib province, sparking fears of further escalation as civilians fled eastern towns toward the Turkish border.
The Syrian Salvation Government (SSG), which administers liberated areas, underscored the necessity of military action. Prime Minister Eng. Muhammad al-Bashir said: “With the escalation of the criminal regime’s bombing of our people in the liberated areas, we have directed all government agencies to be on alert in anticipation of any emergency, especially with the increasing escalation during the past days.”
The Assad regime’s sustained assault has driven tens of thousands from their homes, creating a critical displacement crisis as temperatures drop. Camps along the Turkish border remain overwhelmed, with many families lacking adequate shelter, heating, and food.
“Defending the people of the liberated areas is not an option,” Abdulghani declared, “but a duty and our steadfast goal is to return the displaced to their homes. We will spare no effort in achieving this objective.”
The ongoing violence highlights the fragile state of northwestern Syria, where civilians face attacks targeting schools, homes, and medical facilities. Advocacy groups like the White Helmets, and local authorities have called on the international community to pressure the Assad regime and its allies to cease their attacks and uphold international humanitarian law.
For now, the situation in Idlib remains tense as the CMO’s operation unfolds. Civilians continue to flee the violence, seeking refuge in an already strained humanitarian system. The success of this defensive campaign may determine whether families in liberated northern Syria can find a reprieve from months of unrelenting attacks.
