2024 Hama offensive

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2024 Hama offensive

Part of the Northwestern Syria offensive (2024) during the Syrian civil war

Map of the battle in and around Hama city

Date	30 November 2024 – ongoing (2 days)
Location	Hama Governorate, Syria
Status	Ongoing Rebels capture multiple towns in northern Hama, including Kafr Zita, Latamneh, and Morek^[2] Rebels reach the outskirts of Hama as of 30 November 2024^[3] Counteroffensive launched by the Syrian Army on 1 December 2024^[4]^[5] Rebels capture the city of Al-Kabariyya and Karkat in Hama North. Also captured the town of Umm Nir

Belligerents

Syrian Salvation Government

Syrian Interim Government

Syria

Russia^[1]

Commanders and leaders

Abu Mohammad al-Julani

Maj. Gen. Suhayl al-Hasan^[6]

Brig. Gen. Adi Ghosa †^[7]

Units involved

Military Operations Command

Tahrir al-Sham

Syrian National Army

Sham Legion

Northern Storm Brigade

Nour al-Din al-Zenki Movement
Al-Shaheen Brigades

Syrian Armed Forces

Syrian Army

Russian Armed Forces

Russian Aerospace Forces
- Russian Air Force

Casualties and losses

Unknown

13+ Iranian-backed fighter killed

4+ civilians killed (per the Syrian Civil Defence)^[a]

Syrian civil war

Timeline

v t e Civil uprising in Syria (March–August 2011)
Daraa Baniyas Homs (May–August 2011) Talkalakh Rastan and Talbiseh 1st Jisr ash-Shughur 1st Jabal al-Zawiya Hama Latakia

v t e Start of insurgency (Sept. 2011 – April 2012)
Homs (2011–14) Homs offensive 1st Idlib Gov. Syrian–Turkish border Jabal al-Zawiya 1st Idlib City Saraqeb 1st Rastan Hama Gov. Shayrat & Tiyas ambush Daraa Gov. 1st Rif Dimashq 1st Zabadani Douma Deir ez-Zor (2011–2014) Hatla Aleppo Gov. Azaz 2nd Rastan 1st al-Qusayr 2nd Idlib Gov. Taftanaz

UN ceasefire; Rebel advances (May 2012 – Dec. 2013)

3rd Rastan
Houla
Northern Homs
Al-Haffah
Al-Qubeir
Al-Tremseh
3rd Idlib Gov.
1st Damascus
- Bombing
1st Aleppo city
- Anadan
- Menagh Air Base
- Base 46
- Khan al-Assal
- 1st Aleppo offensive
- 2nd Aleppo offensive
Syrian Kurdistan and Kurdish–Islamist conflict
- Hasaka campaign
- Tell Abyad
Nubl & Al-Zahraa
2nd Rif Dimashq (1st Darayya)
Abu al-Duhur Airbase
Quneitra Gov.
3rd Rif Dimashq
- 1st Yarmouk camp
- 2nd Darayya
Darayya & Muadamiyat
Aqrab
1st Hama offensive
- Halfaya
1st Safira
Shadadeh
2nd Damascus
1st Raqqa campaign (1st Raqqa)
1st Daraa offensive
4th Rif Dimashq
- Jdaidet al-Fadl
- Tadamon
- Ghouta
1st al-Qusayr
2nd al-Qusayr
Eastern Ghouta
2nd Hama offensive
Bayda and Baniyas
1st Latakia offensive
Ma'loula
Sadad
5th Rif Dimashq
1st Qalamoun
Adra

v t e Rise of ISIS in 2014
Inter-rebel conflict Northern Aleppo Markada 1st Deir ez-Zor offensive al-Otaiba ambush Maan Hosn Morek 2nd Daraa offensive 2nd Latakia offensive 4th Idlib Gov. Al-Malihah 2nd Wadi Deif 2nd Qalamoun Arsal Deir ez-Zor (2014–2017) 1st Shaer gas field 1st Eastern Syria Tabqa Airbase 3rd Hama offensive 6th Rif Dimashq 1st Quneitra Kobanî

U.S.-led intervention, Rebel and ISIL advances (Sept. 2014 – Sept. 2015)

Russian intervention (Sept. 2015 – March 2016)

Aleppo escalation and Euphrates Shield (March 2016 – February 2017)

Collapse of ISIS in Syria (2017)

Eastern Homs offensive
al-Jina mosque
6th Hama offensive
Tabqa
Khan Shaykhun
US Shayrat strike
Aleppo bus bombing
April 2017 Turkish airstrikes
2nd East Ghouta inter-rebel conflict
2nd Syrian Desert
Maskanah
East Hama
2nd Raqqa
9th Daraa
Southern Raqqa
Iranian Deir ez-Zor strike
Ja'din
Jobar
5th Quneitra
Central Syria
3rd Idlib inter-rebel conflict
4th Qalamoun
Deir ez-Zor (2017–2019)
2nd Eastern Syria
- Deir ez-Zor city
- Euphrates Crossing
- Mayadin
- 2nd Abu Kamal
7th Hama offensive

Rebels in retreat and Operation Olive Branch
(Nov. 2017 – Sep. 2018)

3rd Northwestern Syria
Eastern Syria insurgency
Atarib
Harasta
Beit Jinn
3rd Syrian Desert
- 5th Deir ez-Zor offensive
1st Southern Damascus
Olive Branch
- Afrin
- SDF insurgency
Khasham
Feb 2018 Israel–Syria incident
10th Rif Dimashq (Douma)
4th Idlib inter-rebel conflict
2nd Southern Damascus
U.S.-led missile strikes
Northern Homs
2nd Eastern Qalamoun
3rd Southern Damascus
Deir ez-Zor SAA-SDF clashes
House of Cards
1st As-Suwayda
2nd Southern Syria
2nd As-Suwayda
3rd As-Suwayda
2nd Qamishli

v t e Idlib demilitarization (Sep. 2018 – April 2019)
Idlib demilitarization 5th Idlib inter-rebel conflict Sep. 2018 missile strikes Iranian Eastern Euphrates strike Northern border clashes Daraa insurgency Manbij bombing Baghuz Fawqani U.S. airstrike

v t e First Idlib offensive, Operation Peace Spring, & Second Idlib offensive (April 2019 – March 2020)
4th Northwestern Tell Rifaat Raqqa & Azaz Hass 2nd Israeli missile strikes Peace Spring (2nd Ras al-Ayn) Kayla Mueller Northern bombings 3rd Israeli missile strikes Qah 5th Northwestern Balyun Spring Shield 2nd U.S. missile strikes 10th Daraa

Idlib ceasefire (March 2020 – Nov. 2024)

v t e Northwestern escalation and SAA in retreat (Nov. 2024 – present)
6th Northwestern 2nd Aleppo city 19th Aleppo offensive 8th Hama offensive Deir ez-Zor (2024) 3rd Southern Syria

Syrian War spillover and international incidents

Lebanon spillover

Jordanian–Syrian border incidents

Israeli–Syrian ceasefire line
- February 2018 incident
- May 2018 incident

Iraqi–Syrian border incidents

Spillover in Iran

Spillover in Turkey

Iran–Saudi Arabia proxy conflict

Spillover in Europe

Foreign involvement in the Syrian civil war

Foreign intervention on behalf of Syrian Arab Republic

Foreign intervention in behalf of Syrian rebels

U.S.-led intervention against ISIL

The 2024 Hama offensive is an ongoing military operation launched by Turkish-backed^[9] Syrian rebels during the 2024 Northwestern Syria offensive, a phase of the Syrian Civil War. The operation is taking place in the Hama Governorate.

Background

On 27 November 2024, Syrian opposition groups led by Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive on pro-government forces in Northwestern Syria. This marked the first major offensive by any faction in the conflict since the March 2020 Idlib ceasefire. The operation resulted in the rapid capture of dozens of villages by opposition forces and a significant weakening of pro-government defenses. This caused people to flee towards various Syrian cities, including Hama.^[10]

Battle

On 30 November 2024, rebels took control of several towns, including Taybat al-Imam, Kafr Zita, Latamneh, and Morek^[2].

Opening advances

Consequently, rebel forces approached the outskirts of Hama and started closing in on the city.^[3] Meanwhile, pro-government forces began withdrawing from both the city of Hama and its airbase.^[11] An unverified photo started circulating around on early 1 December, showing rebel forces entering the Al-Arba'een neighbourhood in Hama city.^[12] Al-Jazeera also reported that rebel forces had entered Hama.^[13]

Following the rebel advances, the Syrian government sent reinforcements to stop the advancing rebel forces, along with special forces affiliated with Suhayl al-Hasan to strategic locations, including Jabal Zayn al-Abidin, Taybat al-Imam, Qamhana, and Khattab.^[6]^[8]

Government pushback

The next day, the Syrian Army managed to launch a counteroffensive that regained some territory in the Hama province and halted the rebel advance.^[5] Russian airstrikes targeted rural parts of Idlib and Hama under rebel control.^[1] According to Syrian state news agency SANA, the army overnight pushed back rebels in the northern countryside of the Hama province.^[8] Both SANA and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights claimed that the Syrian Army succeeded in pushing the rebels back. The Syrian Observatory claimed that the reinforcements formed a "strong defensive line" in the north of Hama.^[14] The rebels stated that they would push all the way to Damascus.^[15]

Notes

^ By Syrian government airstrikes^[8]

References

^ ^a ^b "Russian airstrikes hit north-western Syria as militants reach central Aleppo". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Syrian army withdraws from Hama as rebels push toward Homs". Türkiye Today. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Syrian rebels closing in on city of Hama - report". Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
^ "Syria launches counterattacks in an attempt to halt insurgents' surprise advance". Washington Post. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Syrian forces regain territory, halt rebel advance in Hama amid heavy fighting". The Siasat Daily. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
^ ^a ^b "HTS captures more territory in Northern Hama". Kurdistan 24. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
^ UPDATES: Rebels Reclaim Syria’s Largest City Aleppo, Advancing on Hama
^ ^a ^b ^c "Syria sends in reinforcements to halt insurgents from advancing after seizing Aleppo". ABC News. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
^ "Turkish-Backed Factions Reach Hama's Outskirts in Central Syria". North Press Agency.
^ "Following withdrawal of Iranian-backed militias and regime forces, Kurdish forces deploy in Aleppo international airport, Nubl and Al-Zahraa and take control of checkpoints". SOHR. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
^ "Amidst the withdrawal of regime forces from the city of Hama and its military airport, "Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham" continues to advance in its countryside and takes control of new cities and towns" (in Arabic). SOHR. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
^ "המורדים בסוריה נכנסו לעיר חמה . תמונה מרחוב אל-ארבעין) - חדשות רוטר". Rotter.net. Retrieved 2024-11-30.
^ "Syrian opposition fighters enter the city of Hama". Al-Jazeera. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
^ "Syria: Army sends reinforcements to hold back rebels in Hama". DW News. Retrieved 1 December 2024.
^ Chehayeb, Kareem. "Syria launches counterattacks in an attempt to halt insurgents' surprise advance". AP News. Retrieved 1 December 2024.

Syrian civil war

Overviews

Main overviews	Syria Rojava Syrian civil war Timeline Background and causes Syrian peace process Syrian government reactions Belligerents Inter-rebel conflict Spillover Cities and towns Sectarianism and minorities Syrian Desert campaign (December 2017–present)
Effects and ongoing concerns	Casualties of the Syrian civil war Refugees of the Syrian civil war Humanitarian aid during the Syrian civil war Human rights violations during the Syrian civil war
Phases and processes	Syrian revolution Early insurgency phase 2012–2013 escalation Ceasefires Syrian peace process
World reaction	International reactions to the Syrian civil war Foreign involvement in the Syrian civil war
Specific groups and countries	Russian involvement Russian intervention Turkish involvement Turkish occupation of northern Syria Second Northern Syria Buffer Zone Russian-Turkish agreement on Syria US intervention in the Syrian civil war 2023 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria Kurdish Area in Syria Syrian Democratic Forces Rojava conflict U.S. task force
Agreements and dialogues	Russian-Turkish agreement on Syria Relations between Syrian government and Kurdish groups in Syria

Timeline

Background

2011
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2012
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2013
Jan–Apr
May–Dec

2014
Jan–Jul
Aug–Dec

2015
Jan–Jul
Aug–Dec

2016
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2017
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2018
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2019
Jan–Apr
May–Aug
Sep–Dec

2020
Jan–Dec

2021
Jan–Dec

2022
Jan–Dec

2023
Jan-Dec

2024
Jan-Dec

Spillover

Israel and Golan Heights:	March 2017 incident February 2018 incident May 2018 Israel–Iran incidents
Iraq:	Akashat ambush Operation al-Shabah April 2014 Iraqi border airstrike
Jordanian border incidents	April 2014 Jordanian border airstrike
Lebanon:	Lebanese border clashes Battle of Sidon Iranian embassy bombing in Beirut North Lebanon clashes Qalamoun (Jul–Aug 2017)
Turkey:	December 2011 Turkish border clash 2012 Turkish F-4 Phantom shootdown 2012 Turkish border clashes 2013 Reyhanlı car bombings January 2014 Turkish attack in Syria Assassination of Andrei Karlov Russian Air Force Al-Bab incident 2020 Balyun airstrikes Operation Spring Shield
Elsewhere:	Deir ez-Zor missile strike (Iran)

Belligerents

Syria

Politics of Syria	Arab Socialist Ba'ath Party – Syria Region Syrian Social Nationalist Party Arab Socialist Movement Syrian Communist Party
Military and militias	Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Resistance PFLP-GC al-Quds Brigade Palestine Liberation Army
Foreign support	Hezbollah involvement Iranian involvement Liwa Fatemiyoun Russian involvement medical facility targeting military intervention Wagner Group Russia–Syria–Iran–Iraq coalition Popular Mobilization Forces

Opposition

Interim government	National Coalition Local Coordination Committees Syrian National Council Supreme Council of the Syrian Revolution National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change Syrian Revolution General Commission Syrian Support Group Adopt a Revolution Syrian Patriotic Group
Opposition militias	Syrian National Army Free Syrian Army National Front for Liberation Army of Glory Authenticity and Development Front Army of Free Tribes Revolutionary Commando Army Muslim Brotherhood in Syria Grey Wolves
Foreign support	US intervention Jordanian intervention Qatar Saudi Arabia Turkey

Autonomous Administration
of North and East Syria

DFNS Government	Democratic Union Party Kurdish National Council Smaller political parties
SDF militias	People's Protection Units Women's Protection Units Anti-Terror Units Al-Sanadid Forces Army of Revolutionaries SDF military councils Syriac Military Council Liwa Thuwar al-Raqqa Northern Democratic Brigade
Support	Patriotic Union of Kurdistan Kurdistan Workers' Party International Freedom Battalion Sinjar Resistance Units Êzîdxan Women's Units

Islamists

Islamic State

al-Qaeda and allies

People

Elections	2011 local elections 2012 parliamentary election 2014 presidential election 2015 Northern local elections 2016 parliamentary election 2017 Northern local elections 2017 Northern regional elections 2018 local elections 2020 parliamentary election 2021 presidential election
Issues	Casualties Cities and towns Chemical weapons Damaged heritage sites Foreign involvement Human rights violations Humanitarian aid International demonstrations and protests International reactions Massacres Refugees Sectarianism and minorities Status of the Golan Heights Spillover in Lebanon Syrian government reactions
Peace process	Arab League monitors Friends of Syria Group Kofi Annan peace plan UN supervision mission Lakhdar Brahimi peace plan U.S.–Russia peace proposals 39th G8 summit UN Security Council Resolution 2118 Geneva II conference 2015 Zabadani cease-fire agreement Vienna talks 2016 Geneva talks Idlib demilitarization (2018–present) First Northern Syria Demilitarization Deal Second Northern Syria Demilitarization Deal Syrian Constitutional Committee
War crimes trials	Universal jurisdiction trials in Germany
Related topics	Exclusive mandate Fourth Extraordinary Session of the Islamic Summit Conference International recognition of the Syrian National Council Syria Files Syrian detainee report Syrian media coverage 2015 European migrant crisis Syrian civil war in popular culture

Category

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