Russia, Syrian Regime Threaten to Strike Daraa Countryside

Member of forces loyal to Syria's president Assad salutes a national flag in Daraa province. (Reuters file photo)
Member of forces loyal to Syria's president Assad salutes a national flag in Daraa province. (Reuters file photo)
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Russia, Syrian Regime Threaten to Strike Daraa Countryside

Member of forces loyal to Syria's president Assad salutes a national flag in Daraa province. (Reuters file photo)
Member of forces loyal to Syria's president Assad salutes a national flag in Daraa province. (Reuters file photo)

Syrian fighter jets flew over the western Daraa countryside in an attempt to pressure opposition factions.

The flyover was the first since the signing of the American-Russian agreement over the region in mid-2018.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the flyover.

The development took place amid Russian and Syrian regime threats to launch a widescale ground and air operation against western Daraa.

The western Daraa countryside has witnessed a fragile calm after Russian forces gave the Fourth Armored Division, led by president Bashar Assad’s brother Maher, an ultimatum to hand over or expel eight former leaders of factions in Tafas city to northern Syria within 72 hours or face a widescale military operation.

The regime forces and Fourth Armored Division were also ordered to surrender weapons in Tafas to avoid the operation.

In return, the regime demanded that Division be allowed to set up checkpoints around Tafas, carry out raids against suspected ISIS members and take over all government buildings.

The opposition Naba outlet said Russia appeared receptive to the proposal.

The Observatory said locals objected to the ultimatum, rejecting any forced displacement of people and even threatening to attack regime forces if they carry out any operation in the Tafas area.

The war monitor said unknown gunmen attacked a regime checkpoint on the international highway near the town of Saida in the eastern Daraa countryside. Casualties were reported in the ensuing clashes.



Axios: Israel Moving towards a Ceasefire Deal in Lebanon

Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
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Axios: Israel Moving towards a Ceasefire Deal in Lebanon

Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)
Part of the destruction caused by the Israeli airstrikes on the southern suburbs of Beirut yesterday (Reuters)

Israel is moving towards a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon with the Hezbollah militant group, Axios reporter Barak Ravid posted on X on Sunday, citing a senior Israeli official.
A separate report from Israel's public broadcaster Kan, citing an Israeli official, said there was no green light given on an agreement in Lebanon, with issues still yet to be resolved.
A US mediator travelled to Lebanon and Israel this week in an effort to secure a ceasefire. The envoy, Amos Hochstein, indicated progress had been made after meetings in Beirut, before going to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz.
Israel went on the offensive against the Iran-backed Hezbollah in September, pounding the south, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut's southern suburbs with airstrikes after nearly a year of hostilities ignited by the Gaza war.