Pro-Iranian militias crossed into Syria from Iraq overnight to support Syrian government forces struggling against insurgent advances in the north, according to Syrian military sources.
Dozens of fighters from Iraq’s Iran-backed Hashd al-Shaabi crossed through a military route near the Al Bukamal crossing, a senior Syrian officer told Reuters. These reinforcements, including members of Iraq’s Kataib Hezbollah and Afghanistan’s Fatemiyoun brigades, aim to bolster the Syrian army’s thinning ranks on the front lines.
“These are fresh reinforcements being sent to aid our comrades on the front lines in the north,” the officer explained.
Iran has long relied on militias to support the Syrian army, deploying thousands of fighters during the Syrian war. Together with Russian air support, these forces played a critical role in helping President Bashar al-Assad regain control of most of the country.
However, a shortage of manpower has hindered the Syrian army’s ability to resist the ongoing rebel offensive, leading to recent retreats, including a withdrawal from Aleppo city, according to military sources. Iranian-aligned militias, including Hezbollah, maintain a significant presence in Aleppo.
Meanwhile, Israel has escalated strikes on Iranian bases in Syria, claiming to have weakened Hezbollah’s military capabilities as part of a broader offensive in Lebanon.