The situation in Syria is rapidly changing, and it looks like the city of Homs is on the verge of falling into rebel hands. Rebel forces, led by the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have been advancing south from their recent capture of the town of Hama. If they take Homs, it would be a huge blow to President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, which has already lost the city of Aleppo in the last 10 days.
Homs is a key city in Syria. It lies just 75 miles north of the capital, Damascus, and is a gateway to the heart of Assad’s territory. The coastal region, which is home to Assad’s Alawite sect and Russia’s two military bases in Syria, could soon be in danger if Homs falls.
On Friday, HTS, the group once linked to al-Qaida, claimed to have captured two towns near Homs, and there are even reports that they’ve reached the city itself. In an interview, HTS leader Abu Mohammad al-Jolani said their ultimate goal is to overthrow Assad, and they believe the regime is already doomed, despite support from Iran and Russia.
In the midst of this chaos, there are reports of a possible coup attempt in Damascus, which was supposedly stopped before it could unfold. However, the Syrian government’s official TV outlet denied this, calling the report fake news.
Meanwhile, anti-Assad fighters have been seen approaching Homs, with many residents cheering them on. Videos have surfaced showing parts of the city almost empty of Assad’s troops, and some Assad tanks have been spotted withdrawing. A Russian helicopter was seen flying over the area, reportedly targeting a rebel drone.
In response to the growing threat, Russia has begun evacuating some of its helicopters from Homs to Damascus. The Russian embassy even advised its citizens to leave Syria, signaling the seriousness of the situation. Some believe that Assad’s forces may be pulling back to protect Latakia, where Russia has a major air base.
Reports suggest that thousands of Alawite civilians, loyal to Assad, have fled Homs ahead of the advancing rebels. For many anti-Assad fighters, this is a moment of revenge, as some were once driven out of the city by the regime.
The rebel forces, which are closing in on Homs, continue to advance south, with the regime trying to slow them down. Russian warplanes have bombed the Al-Rastan Bridge in an attempt to disrupt the rebel supply lines. But despite these efforts, the rebels are pushing forward.
As the situation worsens for Assad, Iran has promised to send more weapons, drones, and military advisers to help. But there are challenges. Israeli airstrikes have been preventing Iranian flights from reaching Syria, and Assad’s forces are increasingly cut off from vital supply routes, especially those through the coastal region.
Adding to the pressure, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad recently rejected a peace offer from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who tried to meet with Assad to discuss Syria’s future.
While all this is happening, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), backed by the U.S., have been making progress in eastern Syria. They’ve been capturing more territory, and the regime is pulling back from key areas like Deir Ezzor, which has further weakened Assad’s hold on the country.
The situation in Syria is rapidly changing, with Assad’s regime facing one of its greatest challenges yet. Whether Homs will fall to the rebels, and what that means for the future of Syria, remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the battle is far from over.
