[28] In February 2017, this coalition (with al-Nusra now re-constituted as Tahrir al-Sham or HTS) started advancing on government-held territory in Daraa.

[citation needed] On 12 February 2017, two suicide bombers from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, at least one of them a Jordanian foreign fighter,[4] launched two car bombs at Syrian Army positions in the Al-Manshiyah district of southern Daraa city.

[33] By 14 February BM had claimed to have captured significant territory, including Manshiyah Mosque, and that Hezbollah and National Defense Force reinforcements arrived in the city.

[citation needed] The Syrian Army reportedly recaptured some positions in a joint Hezbollah, NDF, and 5th Armored Division counter-attack on 23 February.

[41] The following day, the Russian Navy launched long-range ballistic missiles at rebel positions in the al-Bilad district in retaliation for the suicide-bombing.

[42] On 24 February, a rebel Omar rocket strike targeted Muawiyas in the Manshiyah district; government sources claimed a school was destroyed.

[30][43] The same day, Republican Guard reinforcements arrived in Daraa, numbering 500 troops, ahead of a major Army counter-attack.

[30][45] The next day, the 5th Armoured division of the Republican Guard recaptured a few building blocks in Manshiyah, thus almost completely reversing rebel gains made in February.

[30] On 16 March, the Syrian Army attacked multiple rebel-held districts of the city, reportedly killing at least 14 rebel fighters.

[30] Artillery and missile attacks were launched by the Army in Daraa and its north-eastern countryside; according to pro-government sources these destroyed three rebel bases, resulting in the deaths of over 20 fighters.

[51] BM, however, claimed there was no territorial change and released the names of new pro-government deaths in action, including a general from the 15th Suweida Paratroopers, a Colonel, and a Lieutenant.

BM media claimed multiple Hezbollah casualties, then on 5-6 April significant territorial gains and destruction of government military infrastructure.

[57] On 14 April, rebels launched a new 11-day offensive, with further advances in Manshiyah, capturing the Al-Maqsem Checkpoint and its nearby building blocks.

[60] On 18 April, the Army, backed by Russian airstrikes, launched a counter-offensive in the Manshiyah district, and reported recovering some points during the fighting.

Pro-government media reported a failed rebel offensive in which two HTS and one FSA Saif al Haq commander were killed, “Bilal Abu Zaid and Abu Hashem al-Tabuki (a Saudi national) of HTS, as well as Moetaz al-Nabwani.” BM claimed that the government attempted to regain lost positions under the cover of heavy shelling, calling the attack “a major breach of the agreement to ease the escalation” in the city.

[30] In late May, the rebels and a pro-opposition journalist reported that despite Russia's declaration of a "de-escalation zone" in the area multiple airstrikes were conducted on Daraa by pro-government forces.