Syrian Army, allied forces steadfastly advance in west Damascus in spite of Israeli attack

After foiling an Israeli-backed rebel assault on the recently capture Barda’iya Hills in the Golan Heights of west Damascus, the elite 42nd Brigade of the 4th Mechanized Division would resume their offensive operations on the rebel forces entrenched in the region.

Backed by the Palestinian Liberation Army (PLA), the loyalist forces were able to seize control of Maqtoul Mountain and Mudawwar Hill following fierce fighting with the al-Qaeda linked Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) militants granting the former further fire control over Beit Jinn and Mughr al-Mir.

This development came after a ferocious wave of artillery strikes and aerial bombardment of rebel fortifications. The insurgents will have to desperately and swiftly launch a counterattack to reverse the SAA’s gains before the government troops manage to fortify their advanced positions. Otherwise, their predicament inside this strategic hotspot is that of doomed defeat.

If the Syrian Armed Forces do manage to clear west Damascus of jihadist presence, thousands of troops will be freed for reallocation to other more troubled hotspots in southern Syria likely making the situation for the rebels of Eastern Ghouta and Dara’a more dire. Furthermore, the Syrian Army will be in a much more comfortable position to launch attacks into Quneitra province should the Syrian High Command set the zero hour for such offensives- not to overlook the major logistic boost arising from securing the surrounding highways and supply routes that run through this troubled spot of the war-torn country.