A volatile mix of military escalation, international diplomacy, and humanitarian crises dominates the headlines. Syrian rebels launched a surprise offensive in northwestern Syria, capturing strategic locations as regime forces and Russian allies retaliated with airstrikes. Meanwhile, Israeli airstrikes targeted Lebanon-Syria border crossings, leaving casualties and raising regional tensions. In Europe, controversy brews over the EU’s proposal for a special envoy to Syria, with activists warning it could legitimize Assad’s regime. At the same time, debates intensify over plans to deport Syrian refugees despite dire conditions in their homeland. Adding to the instability, an Israeli drone crashed in Syrian territory, highlighting ongoing surveillance amidst escalating hostilities.
Syrian rebels launch surprise offensive in northwest as regime retaliates with airstrikes
Syrian rebels launched a new operation against regime forces on Wednesday, reportedly capturing several villages, as regime and Russian forces launched airstrikes on rebel-held northwestern Syria.
The New Arab reported that rebels had named their operation ‘Deterring Aggression’ – its goal, to expand areas of Syria where displaced people could return to “in dignity and security”.
Opposition forces said they had taken control of several villages in western Aleppo province – including Sheikh Aqil, Jamiyat Al-Maari, and Bala = following fierce clashes with regime forces.
They also claimed to have seized the strategic Base 46 in the area, according to rebel-affiliated Twitter accounts.
A spokesman for the Jaysh al-Izzah rebel group, Mustafa Bakkour, told The New Arab’s sister site Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the operation had come in response to the regime and its allies massing troops and launching attacks in the Idlib area over the past few weeks.
Syrian regime forces and pro-Iran militias in the country have been targeted by deadly Israeli airstrikes in recent weeks, amid Israel’s war in Lebanon.
Regime forces and their Russian allies have attacked rebel-held areas in an apparent attempt to deter the rebels taking advantage of regime setbacks, despite a ceasefire technically in place since March 2020.
Syria TV said the regime had dropped cluster bombs on the rebel-held town of Sarmada, while Russian forces launched airstrikes on the town of Kafr Taal in western Aleppo province.
Israel attacks north Lebanon crossings with Syria for first time, minister says
Reuters reported that Israel late on Tuesday attacked Lebanon’s three northern border crossings with Syria for the first time, Lebanon’s transport minister Ali Hamieh told Reuters.
The strikes took place after U.S. President Joe Biden announced that a ceasefire would come into effect at 4:00 a.m. local time (0200 GMT) on Wednesday to halt hostilities between Lebanese armed group Hezbollah and Israel.
The Israeli military said its warplanes attacked several transport hubs between Syria and Lebanon that were used to send combat equipment to Hezbollah.
Hamieh said it was not immediately clear whether the border crossings had been cut off as a result of the strikes. Israeli raids on Lebanon’s eastern crossings in recent weeks had already sealed off those routes into Syria.
Syria’s state news agency reported four civilians and two soldiers were killed, and 12 people were wounded, including children, women and workers of the Syrian Red Crescent in the countryside of Homs province.
Outrage Over EU Proposal for Special Envoy to Syria
DW reports that the European Union’s proposal to appoint a special envoy for Syria has sparked controversy among Syrian activists and rights groups, who fear the move could signal a softening stance towards President Bashar Assad’s regime. Critics argue it risks legitimizing a government accused of war crimes and human rights abuses, while some analysts suggest it could unify fragmented EU policy on Syria.
The EU has maintained a strict “three no’s” policy toward Syria: no normalization, no lifting of sanctions, and no reconstruction aid without meaningful political progress. However, a recent EU Commission document circulated as a “non-paper,” hinted at potential shifts, including technical-level funding for reconstruction and the creation of a special envoy role.
Syrian advocacy groups, including The Syria Campaign, condemned the proposal, calling it a betrayal of war victims. Laila Kiki, executive director of the organization, said it undermines international efforts for justice and accountability.
Proponents of the initiative, like Julien Barnes-Dacey of the European Council on Foreign Affairs, argue that rethinking EU policy could help alleviate the dire humanitarian situation in Syria. Critics, however, worry that engaging with Assad’s regime could lead to normalization by default, despite its continued brutality.
The proposal, rumored to involve Austrian diplomat Christian Berger as a candidate, also reflects internal EU tensions. Countries like Italy and Austria, motivated by migration concerns, are pushing for pragmatic engagement, while others fear compromising foundational EU values.
Rights groups and activists highlight ongoing abuses by the Assad regime, including arbitrary arrests, torture, and enforced disappearances of returnees. Abdel Nasser Hoshan, a displaced lawyer in Idlib, expressed skepticism about the envoy’s ability to curb these violations, noting that the regime views the EU as hostile and manipulates normalization efforts for self-legitimization.
Europe Wants to Deport Syrian Refugees—Is Their Homeland Ready for Them?
AmericMagazine.org published a report focusing on how European nations are re-evaluating their policies toward Syrian refugees, with some advocating for deportations and reduced asylum access, despite the dire conditions in Syria.
Since the civil war’s outbreak in 2011, 1.2 million Syrians have sought refuge in Europe. However, recent proposals from countries like Italy, Cyprus, and the Netherlands aim to tighten asylum rules and declare parts of Syria safe for returns, sparking debate over the feasibility and morality of such measures.
According to the report, humanitarian organizations and rights advocates warn that Syria remains too unsafe and unstable for mass repatriation. The country faces severe poverty, shortages of basic necessities, and ongoing conflict, with 16.7 million people requiring humanitarian aid—the highest number since the war began. Returnees risk persecution, forced disappearances, and torture in regime-controlled areas, according to human rights groups.
Despite the EU’s continued sanctions against the Assad regime, economic desperation in Syria has driven more Syrians to seek migration, even as host countries like Lebanon face their own crises. Advocates emphasize the need for safe migration pathways and resettlement programs, arguing that until Syria offers safety and dignity, refugees have the right to rebuild their lives elsewhere.
The report concludes that the situation underscores the tension between European efforts to address migration and the reality of Syria’s unresolved humanitarian and political crises.
Israeli Drone Crashes in Syria Due to Technical Failure
An Israeli Skylark unmanned aerial vehicle crashed in Syrian territory due to technical failure, the Israeli military confirmed in a statement on Wednesday.
The incident, according to The Media Line, occurred during a routine surveillance activity at night, and no data was breached. The exact location of the crash and the purpose of the mission were not disclosed by the military, which is investigating the incident. The use of Skylark drones for surveillance purposes over the Syrian and Gaza borders is a frequent occurrence by the Israeli military.
The incident comes amid increased tensions between Israel and Syria, following rocket attacks on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights by combatants in Syria and Lebanon earlier in April.
