Greg Myrie

Hi, Leila.

Hi, Leila.

Hi, Leila.

Right, so the rebels have effectively captured Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, which is in the northwest, and they've been pushing south now for several days in the direction of the capital, Damascus, though that's still quite a distance away. Syria's government army is trying to regroup. Syria is getting at least some help from its traditional allies. Russia is carrying out airstrikes.

Right, so the rebels have effectively captured Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, which is in the northwest, and they've been pushing south now for several days in the direction of the capital, Damascus, though that's still quite a distance away. Syria's government army is trying to regroup. Syria is getting at least some help from its traditional allies. Russia is carrying out airstrikes.

Right, so the rebels have effectively captured Aleppo, Syria's second largest city, which is in the northwest, and they've been pushing south now for several days in the direction of the capital, Damascus, though that's still quite a distance away. Syria's government army is trying to regroup. Syria is getting at least some help from its traditional allies. Russia is carrying out airstrikes.

Iran is trying to rally diplomatic support. So right now we're watching to see if the rebels can continue to gain ground or if the Syrian army, along with its allies, can stop the advance and mount a counterattack.

Iran is trying to rally diplomatic support. So right now we're watching to see if the rebels can continue to gain ground or if the Syrian army, along with its allies, can stop the advance and mount a counterattack.

Iran is trying to rally diplomatic support. So right now we're watching to see if the rebels can continue to gain ground or if the Syrian army, along with its allies, can stop the advance and mount a counterattack.

Yeah, Leila, I think we really need to begin with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th last year. The very next day, the Lebanese group Hezbollah joined in, firing rockets into northern Israel as a show of support for Hamas in Gaza. And then the fighting kept spreading in the region. We saw the first ever direct confrontations between Israel and Iran.

Yeah, Leila, I think we really need to begin with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th last year. The very next day, the Lebanese group Hezbollah joined in, firing rockets into northern Israel as a show of support for Hamas in Gaza. And then the fighting kept spreading in the region. We saw the first ever direct confrontations between Israel and Iran.

Yeah, Leila, I think we really need to begin with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th last year. The very next day, the Lebanese group Hezbollah joined in, firing rockets into northern Israel as a show of support for Hamas in Gaza. And then the fighting kept spreading in the region. We saw the first ever direct confrontations between Israel and Iran.

And despite all this fighting in Syria, President Bashar Assad tried to keep a low profile. He wasn't saying much. He didn't want to get involved in the surrounding conflicts. Now, Assad has been accused of widespread abuses and atrocities since Syria's civil war began in 2011. But the war has been on a low simmer for the past few years, and Assad wanted to keep it that way.

And despite all this fighting in Syria, President Bashar Assad tried to keep a low profile. He wasn't saying much. He didn't want to get involved in the surrounding conflicts. Now, Assad has been accused of widespread abuses and atrocities since Syria's civil war began in 2011. But the war has been on a low simmer for the past few years, and Assad wanted to keep it that way.

And despite all this fighting in Syria, President Bashar Assad tried to keep a low profile. He wasn't saying much. He didn't want to get involved in the surrounding conflicts. Now, Assad has been accused of widespread abuses and atrocities since Syria's civil war began in 2011. But the war has been on a low simmer for the past few years, and Assad wanted to keep it that way.

So I put that question to Paul Salem. He's based in Beirut with the Middle East Institute. He drew a series of connections that followed the Hamas attack on Israel last year.

So I put that question to Paul Salem. He's based in Beirut with the Middle East Institute. He drew a series of connections that followed the Hamas attack on Israel last year.

So I put that question to Paul Salem. He's based in Beirut with the Middle East Institute. He drew a series of connections that followed the Hamas attack on Israel last year.

So the rebels saw Syria's allies weakened and distracted, and they launched this offensive against the Syrian government troops. And the speed of this rebel advance has really surprised most everyone.

So the rebels saw Syria's allies weakened and distracted, and they launched this offensive against the Syrian government troops. And the speed of this rebel advance has really surprised most everyone.