Iran plans to send weapons and personnel to Syria, a senior Iranian official said on Friday, as rebel forces advanced rapidly toward Homs, potentially threatening the capital Damascus and Bashar al-Assad’s rule.
Such a move would underscore the urgency the Islamic Republic sees in the declining fortunes of its main Arab ally after the Tehran-armed Lebanese Hezbollah militia limped to a ceasefire with arch-foe Israel last month.
“Tehran will provide military equipment, missiles, and drones, while increasing the number of advisers and deploying forces as needed,” Reuters cited an Iranian official as saying.
“Intelligence and satellite support are also being provided to Syria.”
Iran-backed Hezbollah sent an unspecified number of fighters into Homs to help Assad’s government according to Lebanese security sources and Syrian officials cited by Reuters, adding that small units crossed into Syria overnight and took up defensive positions in the city.
After capturing the northern city of Hama on Thursday, hardline Islamist-led rebels were closing in on Homs, a strategic crossroads which links Syria’s capital Damascus to the coastal regions dominated by Assad’s Alawite minority and home to Russia’s key naval and air bases.
Its capture would deal a severe blow to Assad’s remaining forces.
For over a decade, Syria's civil war saw minimal changes in frozen front lines. However, insurgents from the northwestern Idlib region, led by the former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have made stunning gains, marking the swiftest advances since the conflict began 13 years ago.
Assad's allies face diversions
Assad regained much of Syria with the help of Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah, but all three have recently been distracted by other crises. This has created an opportunity for Sunni Muslim rebels to regroup and strike back.
Devastating Israeli attacks since September significantly weakened Hezbollah that provided thousands of experienced fighters to defend government strongholds.
HTS leader Abu Mohammed Al-Golani (Jolani) told CNN that his group aims to “build Syria” and repatriate refugees from Lebanon and Europe. In his first interview since HTS began its offensive on November 27, Al-Golani emphasized the group's break from Al-Qaeda in 2016, claiming it poses no threat to the West and seeks to present itself as a viable alternative to Assad.
Rebels have already captured Aleppo and Hama and are pushing south toward Homs, gaining control of the towns of Talbisa and Rastan. Opposition sources report rapid disintegration of government forces and defections to rebel forces.
Civilian exodus from Homs
As rebels edge closer to Homs, thousands of residents have begun fleeing toward coastal government strongholds like Latakia and Tartus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported a mass exodus from Homs on Thursday night.
A resident of Homs noted that the offices of the city’s main security branches had been evacuated, leaving pro-government militias patrolling empty streets. "Most commercial areas are deserted," said Wasim Marouh, a local who chose to stay behind.
Islamic State resurgence
Adding to Assad’s challenges, the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces reported increased activity by Islamic State (IS) militants in eastern Syria. Mazloum Abdi, the group's leader, said IS had regained footholds in the southern and western deserts of Deir Al-Zor and parts of Raqqa.
HTS rebels have urged Homs residents to rise up. In an online post, their operations room declared, “Your time has come.”
In response, Russian airstrikes destroyed the Rastan bridge on the M5 highway to slow the rebel advance. Syrian government forces are also deploying reinforcements around Homs.
While Assad relied heavily on Russian and Iranian military backing during the height of the civil war, Moscow’s focus on its Ukraine invasion and the recent loss of Hezbollah’s senior leadership to Israeli strikes have strained his allies’ ability to provide support.
The battle for Homs now stands as a critical test of Assad's survival in Syria’s protracted conflict.
