عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Arab World

Syrian Special Forces Conduct Parachute Drills with Russian Aircraft

24 September 2023, Syria, Idlib: Displaced Syrians stand near a crater left by a missile as a result of an overnight missile attack targeted a camp for displaced people on the outskirts of Idlib city. Photo: Anas Alkharboutli/dpa
24 September 2023, Syria, Idlib: Displaced Syrians stand near a crater left by a missile as a result of an overnight missile attack targeted a camp for displaced people on the outskirts of Idlib city. Photo: Anas Alkharboutli/dpa
TT
20
TT

Syrian Special Forces Conduct Parachute Drills with Russian Aircraft

24 September 2023, Syria, Idlib: Displaced Syrians stand near a crater left by a missile as a result of an overnight missile attack targeted a camp for displaced people on the outskirts of Idlib city. Photo: Anas Alkharboutli/dpa
24 September 2023, Syria, Idlib: Displaced Syrians stand near a crater left by a missile as a result of an overnight missile attack targeted a camp for displaced people on the outskirts of Idlib city. Photo: Anas Alkharboutli/dpa

Syrian special forces troops performed more than 1,500 parachute jumps over the Mediterranean Sea and the Aleppo and Latakia provinces as part of training drills conducted using Russian military aircraft, Russia's defense ministry said on Thursday.

Video footage published by the ministry showed groups of Syrian troops leaping out of Russian planes and helicopters, including what the ministry said was the Syrian Arab Army's first mass landing from an IL-76 aircraft conducted at night.

"Servicemen of the Russian group of troops in Syria ensured the execution of a comprehensive exercise of Syrian special forces units," the defense ministry said.

Russia is one of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's main allies. Moscow's intervention alongside Iran helped turn the tide in favor of Assad in the country's over decade-old conflict.

Most Viewed

 
Arab World

Suspected US Airstrikes in Yemen Kill at Least 4 People Near Hodeidah

A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
TT
20
TT

Suspected US Airstrikes in Yemen Kill at Least 4 People Near Hodeidah

A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah
A man holds a rifle as protesters, mainly Houthi supporters, rally to mark the annual al-Quds Day (Jerusalem Day) on the last Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, in Sanaa, Yemen March 28, 2025. REUTERS/Khaled Abdullah

Suspected US airstrikes battered Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with the militias saying that one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah.

The intense campaign of airstrikes in Yemen under US President Donald Trump, targeting the militias over their attacks on shipping in Mideast waters stemming from the Israel-Hamas war, has killed at least 65 people, according to casualty figures released by the Houthis.

The campaign appears to show no signs of stopping as the Trump administration again linked their airstrikes on the Iranian-backed Houthis to an effort to pressure Iran over its rapidly advancing nuclear program. While so far giving no specifics about the campaign and its targets, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt put the overall number of strikes on Tuesday at more than 200.

“Iran is incredibly weakened as a result of these attacks, and we have seen they have taken out Houthi leaders,” Leavitt said. “They’ve taken out critical members who were launching strikes on naval ships and on commercial vessels and this operation will not stop until the freedom of navigation in this region is restored.”

Overnight, a likely US airstrike targeted what the Houthis described as a “water project” in Hodeidah governorate's Mansuriyah District, killing four people and wounding others. Other strikes into Wednesday targeted Hajjah, Saada and Sanaa governorates, the militias said.