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Monitor Reports Strong Return of ISIS to Syria’s Desert Badia

A road sign welcomes people to the town of Deir Ezzor in Syria September 20, 2017. Picture taken September 20, 2017. (Reuters)
A road sign welcomes people to the town of Deir Ezzor in Syria September 20, 2017. Picture taken September 20, 2017. (Reuters)
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Monitor Reports Strong Return of ISIS to Syria’s Desert Badia

A road sign welcomes people to the town of Deir Ezzor in Syria September 20, 2017. Picture taken September 20, 2017. (Reuters)
A road sign welcomes people to the town of Deir Ezzor in Syria September 20, 2017. Picture taken September 20, 2017. (Reuters)

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed that ISIS has made a “strong comeback” to the Syrian desert Badia, saying it has seized control of positions in the Hama region.

Over 30 regime fighters, allied militants and ISIS fighters have been killed.

It said that Russian warplanes continue to fly over the Badia, carrying intense strikes against ISIS positions in the Hama countryside.

The war monitor said ISIS carried out a strong offensive against positions held by the regime and allied militants, making advances in the Al-Shakusiyah and al-Rahjan areas. The regime has struggled to contain the attack even with Russian air cover. The fighter jets carried out over 130 strikes in the past 48 hours.

The Observatory said 19 regime forces and allied militants and 12 ISIS fighters were killed in the fighting. The toll is expected to rise.

It documented the killing of seven members of the regime-backed National Defense militia in clashes with ISIS in the al-Shoula region in western Deir Ezzor during a combing operation by the militia. The toll is also expected to rise.

Since March 2019, the Observatory has documented the killing of at least 1,177 regime soldiers and loyalists of Syrian and non-Syrian nationalities, including at least two Russians, and 145 Iranian-backed non-Syrian militiamen.

All were killed in attacks, bombings and ambushes by ISIS, west of the Euphrates River in the deserts of Deir Ezzor, Homs and Al-Suwaida.

Four civilians working in gas fields, 11 shepherds and four other people were killed by ISIS during the same period, while 633 terrorists were killed in various fighting and raids.

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Planes from Jordan and UAE Airdrop Humanitarian Aid into Gaza

28 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Deir al-Balah: Humanitarian aid supplies are airdropped by military cargo planes over the western part of Deir al-Balah. (dpa)
28 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Deir al-Balah: Humanitarian aid supplies are airdropped by military cargo planes over the western part of Deir al-Balah. (dpa)
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Planes from Jordan and UAE Airdrop Humanitarian Aid into Gaza

28 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Deir al-Balah: Humanitarian aid supplies are airdropped by military cargo planes over the western part of Deir al-Balah. (dpa)
28 July 2025, Palestinian Territories, Deir al-Balah: Humanitarian aid supplies are airdropped by military cargo planes over the western part of Deir al-Balah. (dpa)

Two planes from the Jordanian and UAE Air Force airdropped 17 tons of humanitarian aid in Gaza on Monday, Jordan's military said.

The aid packages come as hunger continues to soar across the enclave.

The airdrops took place for the second day as Israel faces increasing pressure over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. However, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, warned that airdrops are “expensive, inefficient and can even kill starving civilians.”

The 17 tons of airdropped aid amounts to less than one aid truck carrying food, based on the World Food Program’s calculation of nearly 19 tons per truck.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Monday that Germany intends to conduct an airlift of humanitarian aid to Gaza along with Jordan. 

Merz didn’t provide details of the plan after a meeting of his security Cabinet, but said his defense minister will consult with France and Britain, “which are also prepared to make available such an airlift for food and medical goods.” Jordan’s King Abdullah II is due to meet Merz in Berlin on Tuesday. 

Merz said Israel’s move to lift some aid restrictions is “an important first step” but “further ones must follow quickly.” He also stressed the need for a comprehensive ceasefire. 

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Spain will airdrop 12 tons of food aid into Gaza from Jordan later this week, via Spanish air force planes. 

Sanchez acknowledged this isn’t a solution to hunger, but hopes it offers “minimal relief” alongside aid from other nations. 

Spain’s government has been a vocal critic of Israel’s war in Gaza and has repeatedly called for a ceasefire. 

On Sunday, 180 trucks carrying aid entered Gaza, according to the Israeli military body in charge of overseeing humanitarian aid.

As the death toll from two years of war in Gaza nears 60,000, a growing number of people are dying from starvation and malnutrition, Gaza health authorities say, with images of starving children shocking the world and fueling international criticism of Israel over sharply worsening conditions.

On Monday, the Gaza health ministry said at least 14 people had died in the past 24 hours of starvation and malnutrition, bringing the war's death toll from hunger to 147, including 88 children, most in just the last few weeks.