Hezbollah, Syrian Army renew plans for Aleppo offensive

The long-awaited Aleppo offensive recently took a backseat to the much needed Palmyra-Deir Ezzor assault after the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) threatened to retake the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur) just two weeks after it was liberated by the Syrian Arab Army (SAA).

However, the High Command of the Syrian Armed Forces has once again reverted their attention to the large-scale Aleppo offensive after the recent failure of the Geneva Peace Talks and the collapsing nationwide ceasefire. On Saturday night, the Syrian Arab Army’s plans for the Aleppo offensive have been once again green-lighted by  Iranian military advisers in southeast Aleppo. The Syrian Arab Army’s contingency has changed though; it will no longer include the Greater Aleppo area. Instead, the Syrian Arab Army’s military operation will concentrate on the rebel controlled districts inside the provincial capital, rather than the northern or eastern Aleppo.

The Syrian Arab Army will not be alone either; they will be joined by Hezbollah, Harakat Al-Nujaba (Iraqi paramilitary), Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), National Defense Forces (NDF), and Liwaa Al-Quds (Palestinian paramilitary from Aleppo City).