Syrian rebel forces have encircled the capital Damascus after capturing key city of Homs. Rebels made major advances in their offensive against Syrian government forces and captured 4 cities in a single day. Syrian rebels said that they have fully liberated the third-largest city of Homs, after they captured Aleppo. The rebels also said they have seized the regions of Quneitra and Daraa near the border with Israel. Rebel Druze militias also overran most of the army bases in Syria’s southern province of Suweida along the border with Jordan.

Rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani, with the alliance led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) that launched the offensive in the country’s northwest, said that their forces have begun the final phase of encircling the capital, Damascus. While the Syrian President’s office maintains that Bashar Assad continues to operate from Damascus, refuting claims of his departure, the rebel forces’ rapid territorial gains present an unprecedented challenge to his authority. The situation remains fluid as rebel forces press their advantage, potentially reshaping the power dynamics in this protracted conflict.