Following a large-scale summer campaign in central Syria, which succeeded in lifting the siege of Deir ez-Zor,[24] the Syrian Army began operations to surround the remaining ISIL-held parts of the city.

On 15 September, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova announced the beginning of the army offensive across the Euphrates River, codenamed Assad's jump.

[25] Three days later, pro-government forces crossed the Euphrates River[26] using pontoon bridges, and launched an offensive on the east bank of the city of Deir ez-Zor.

[27] By 16 October, the Syrian Army captured the town of al-Husayniyah on the other side of the Euphrates from Deir ez-Zor, establishing a siege of the ISIL-held part of the city.

[28] Concurrently to its operations to encircle Deir ez-Zor, the Army launched an offensive towards Mayadin, ISIL's new capital, on 4 October, coming within 10 kilometers of the town.

[23] Following the surrounding of the ISIL-held part of Deir ez-Zor in mid-October,[28] the Army started operations to clear the city on 17 October, quickly capturing three districts.

[62] During this time, government forces advanced along the western bank of the Euphrates,[63] so to besiege a pocket of ISIL territory southeast of Mayadin.

[75] During the final push along the Euphrates, large numbers of ISIL suicide car bombers were sent against the advancing government forces, inflicting heavy casualties on the Army.

[79] In early April 2018, ISIL forces in a pocket in the Homs Governorate employed an Inghimasi attack on the Shaer gas field near Palmyra.