Syrian opposition capitalized on weakened Assad allies: US security adviser

U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan stated that the recent advances by Syrian opposition forces in Aleppo and Idlib are linked to a perceived weakening of the Assad regime's main backers—Iran, Russia and Hezbollah.

Speaking to CNN on Sunday, Sullivan highlighted how regional and global developments have left these actors more vulnerable.

Weakened strategic position of Assad allies

"The opposition took a look at three actors who had been pummeling them for years: Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah. They had seen them weaker and more exposed than before, and they tried to take advantage of it," Sullivan said.

He noted that the pace of the offensive surprised both the Syrian government and regional observers. Sullivan linked the opposition’s activity to the broader impact of conflicts in the Middle East, Ukraine and other regions, which have placed Assad's allies in a weaker strategic position.

Anti-government fighters tear up a poster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as they take over the northern Syrian town of Tal Rifaat on Dec. 1, 2024. (AFP Photo)

US forces and regional risks

Addressing concerns about U.S. forces stationed in Syria, Sullivan clarified that the U.S. troops, deployed to combat Daesh, are located in a different part of the country and are not at immediate risk from the recent clashes in Aleppo and Idlib.

However, he emphasized that threats persist from Iran and Shia-backed militia groups in Iraq, which continue to pose significant challenges to U.S. personnel in the region.

U.S. soldiers inspect the site of reported Turkish shelling days earlier on an oil extraction facility on the outskirts of Rumaylan, in Syria, Oct. 28, 2024. (AFP Photo)

Complicated dynamics with HTS

Sullivan also addressed the complexities surrounding the opposition group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), labeled a terrorist organization by Washington. While expressing concerns about the group's intentions, he noted that the U.S. does not regret the increased pressure on the Assad regime.

"We are monitoring closely," Sullivan added, describing the situation as "complicated."

Anti-government fighters ride military vehicles as they drive along a road in the eastern part of Aleppo province on December 1, 2024. - Syria's second-largest city Aleppo has fallen from government control for the first time since the country's conflict began more than a decade ago, a war monitor said on December 1, after a surprise advance by rebels. (Photo by Aref TAMMAWI / AFP)<img src=

Anti-government fighters inspect a base belonging to the Iran-backed Fatemiyoun brigade in the town of Khan Sheikhun, in the northwestern Syrian Idlib province on December 1, 2024. (Photo by Abdulaziz KETAZ / AFP)

Anti-government fighters take a position near the northern Syrian town of Tal Rifaat on December 1, 2024. - The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said pro-Turkey fighters seized a strategic northern town from Kurdish forces, in fighting parallel to a major rebel offensive elsewhere in Aleppo province. (Photo by Bakr ALKASEM / AFP)

An aerial view shows a tank, left behind by regime forces, on the road leading to the Syrian town of Khan Sheikhun, in the northwestern Syrian Idlib province, on December 1, 2024. (Photo by OMAR HAJ KADOUR / AFP)" alt="Syrian opposition capitalized on weakened Assad allies: US security adviser">

Anti-government fighters ride military vehicles as they drive along a road in the eastern part of Aleppo province on December 1, 2024. - Syria's second-largest city Aleppo has fallen from government control for the first time since the country's conflict began more than a decade ago, a war monitor said on December 1, after a surprise advance by rebels. (Photo by Aref TAMMAWI / AFP)