The rapid advance on Aleppo came just four days into a surprise rebel offensive that is the most intense escalation in years in the country’s civil war.

BEIRUT — Insurgents breached Syria’s largest city Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016, according to a war monitor and fighters, in a surprise attack that sent residents fleeing and added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars.

By Saturday, they had taken control of "large parts" of the country's second-biggest city, Aleppo. The surprise offensive prompted the first Russian strikes on Aleppo since 2016, and saw Syria's military withdraw its troops from the city.

Israeli aircraft struck Hezbollah weapons smuggling sites along Syria's border with Lebanon, the Israeli military said Saturday, testing a fragile, days-old ceasefire that has seen continued sporadic fire.

The Israeli military says its aircraft struck Hezbollah weapons smuggling sites along Syria’s border with Lebanon

Israeli military jets hit alleged Hezbollah weapons smuggling sites near the border crossing between Lebanon and Syria, according to officials, who allege the Lebanese militant group violated a ceasefire agreement.