Assad’s favor after a Russian blitzkrieg on Aleppo helped him regain control over the country’s second biggest city.

The surprise offensive on Aleppo by Syrian rebel groups has left the US in the difficult position of not fully supporting either side while also maintaining a force posture of nearly 1,000 troops in Syria as part of the ongoing mission to fight ISIS.

The surprise attack jolted the frontlines of the Syrian civil war that have largely been frozen since 2020. The army said it was preparing a counteroffensive.