The Syrian army has withdrawn from much of southern Syria, leaving areas, including two provincial capitals, under the control of opposition fighters. The redeployment from Daraa and Sweida provinces coincided with the military sending reinforcements to defend the central city of Homs as insurgents approached its outskirts.
This shift marks a significant turn of events for Syrian President Bashar Assad, who now finds himself largely isolated as his allies are preoccupied with other conflicts. Russia is engaged in the war in Ukraine, while Lebanon's Hezbollah has been weakened by a yearlong conflict with Israel. Iran's proxies in the region have also been degraded by Israeli airstrikes.
