[14] On 27 November 2024, Syrian opposition groups led by Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive in northwestern Syria on the forces of the Bashar al-Assad government.

[8] Local militant groups captured the engineering battalion facility of the SAA on al-Rastan's outskirts, where they acquired military vehicles and ammunition supplies.

SAR-aligned warplanes conducted approximately ten strikes targeting the northern periphery of al-Rastan and areas surrounding the main bridge connecting Hama to Homs.

A significant SAA convoy of over 200 vehicles carrying weapons and ammunition was redirected to Homs city to reinforce positions in the Al-Waer district and near military educational facilities.

[19] In an attempt to stop the rebel advances, the Russian Aerospace Forces launched an airstrike on the Al-Rastan bridge of M5 Motorway across Orontes River, which connects Homs and Hama.

Meanwhile, pro-government forces withdrew from several towns north of the city, including Teir Maalah, Al-Zaafaraniyah, Al-Majdal, Deir Ful, Asilah, Farhaniyya, Al-Wazi'iya Al-Ghasibiyya, Al-Makramiyya and Izz al-Din.

[28] That day, Israeli airstrikes targeted two border crossings with Lebanon, Arida and Jousieh in Al-Qusayr countryside in south-western Homs, which were used as weapons transfer hubs for pro-government Hezbollah forces.

[1] By the early morning of 8 December 2024, the Syrian rebels declared that they had fully captured the city of Homs, effectively cutting Latakia Governorate off from the rest of the country.