Sunni rebels from the Turkish-controlled Idlib region in northern Syria advanced over the weekend as far as Aleppo and captured the city within hours. Who are these rebels, and what interests drive the sudden ground offensive against the Syrian state military? And how is Israel connected?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held an unusual security consultation on Friday evening, during Shabbat, with the leaders of Israel’s security apparatus. The background to the consultation was the military developments in northern Syria, where Sunni rebels launched a surprise ground offensive, forcing Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian forces into retreat and capturing Aleppo. Aleppo, with approximately two million residents, is Syria’s second-largest city. Israel is closely monitoring the fighting in Syria as it threatens the region’s stability and could have long-term implications for Lebanon and the Shiite axis of Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah.
Rebel attacks and Israeli interests
According to security sources, the attacks by jihadist rebels on the Syrian army, Hezbollah fighters, and pro-Iranian militias supporting the Assad regime align with Israel’s current...
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