'A rebel advance on Homs, 40km south of Hama, could meanwhile cut Damascus off from the coastal region..''Syrian rebels have captured the city of Hama, a major victory in a week-old lightning advance across northern Syria and a devastating new blow to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his Russian and Iranian allies.
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The collapse of Syrian government control in the north is stark evidence of a shift in the balance of power since Lebanon's Hezbollah group, a lynchpin of Mr Assad's battlefield force, suffered catastrophic losses in war with Israel.
Mr Assad relied heavily on Russian and Iranian backing during the most intense years of the conflict, helping him to claw back most territory and Syria's biggest cities before front lines froze in 2020.
But Russia has been focused on the war in Ukraine since 2022, and many in the top leadership of Hezbollah, the most powerful Iran-aligned force, were killed by Israel over the past two months.
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A rebel advance on Homs, 40km south of Hama, could meanwhile cut Damascus off from the coastal region, a stronghold of Mr Assad's Alawite sect and where his Russian allies have a naval base and airbase.
"Assad now cannot afford to lose anything else. The big battle is the one coming against Homs. If Homs falls, we are talking of a potential change of regime," said Jihad Yazigi, editor of the Syria Report newsletter.
Hama is also critical to control of two major towns with big minority religious communities: Muhrada, home to many Christians, and Salamiya, where there are many Ismaili Muslims.
Although Hama had not previously been taken by rebels, it was historically a centre of opposition to the Assad dynasty.'
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Syrian rebels capture key city of Hama in fresh blow to Assad, December 5, 2024
'The Biden administration took office seeking rapprochement with Iran including a return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or JCPOA, the formal name for the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.
Iran repeatedly rebuffed those offers, and the Biden administration took a tougher stance against Iran after the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, given Iran’s support for Hamas.
The Middle East Forum report envisions the incoming Trump administration restoring the “maximum pressure” campaign against Iran and even pursuing regime change in the Islamic Republic.'
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Report: Iranian regime change likely to be focus of Trump Middle East policy , December 3, 2024
Context(Ukraine's Global Offensive) - Russia's position in Syria is collapsing .. Hama liberated, Homs, [Damascus]..To help Ukraine remain free and independent, Western countries must switch to a war economy