BEIRUT: Heavy fighting resumed in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta on Sunday after a short period of relative calm following reports that a cease-fire had been agreed there late on Friday, a war monitor and pro-regime media sources said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, said there was intense fighting accompanied by large blasts, heavy shelling and air raids after an attack by extremists. It said the Syrian army of President Bashar Assad had fired dozens of rockets and shells into Eastern Ghouta since the cease-fire was reported to have begun.
A military media unit run by Hezbollah said the Syrian army had repulsed an attack by extremists in Eastern Ghouta, detonating an insurgent car bomb. It had then responded to the assault with shelling and air strikes, it said.
A resident of Damascus said bombardment could be heard coming from Eastern Ghouta on Sunday morning and smoke was visible.
Late on Friday, an opposition official said that Assad’s ally Russia had promised the opposition delegation at peace talks in Vienna that it would put pressure on Damascus to enforce a truce in Eastern Ghouta.
The cease-fire was never publicly confirmed by the Syrian regime.
International concern has been rising over the fate of 400,000 people living in besieged Eastern Ghouta as acute food and medicine shortages have contributed to what the UN has called the worst malnutrition of the war.
Heavy fighting resumes in Eastern Ghouta
Heavy fighting resumes in Eastern Ghouta
US to deploy more troops to Middle East as Iran operations continue
- Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine acknowledged that four US service members have been killed so far
WASHINGTON: The United States will send additional troops and military assets to the Middle East as operations against Iran continue, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dan Caine said on Monday.
Speaking at the Pentagon alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Caine stressed that the campaign, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury," remains ongoing and will not be concluded quickly.
“This is not a single overnight operation. The military objectives that (US Central Command) CENTCOM and the joint force have been tasked with will take some time to achieve, and, in some cases, will be difficult and gritty work,” Caine said.
He acknowledged that four US service members have been killed so far and cautioned that further casualties are expected as the campaign continues.
“We expect to take additional losses, and as always, we will work to minimize US losses. But as the Secretary (of Defense Hegseth) said, this is major combat operations,” Caine added.
Caine confirmed that more forces are already heading to the region.
“In fact, Admiral Cooper will receive additional forces even today,” he said, referring to US Central Command chief Brad Cooper.
He described the rapid military buildup as evidence of the US armed forces’ ability to adjust quickly and project power “at the time and place of our nation's choosing.”
