Rebels control most of Aleppo as Israel strikes Gaza

A war monitor in Syria reported on Saturday that rebel groups have taken control of most of Aleppo city, with Russian airstrikes targeting areas of Syria's second-largest city for the first time since 2016, News.az reports citing foreign media.

The rebels have pressed a lightning offensive against forces of the Iranian- and Russian-backed Assad regime since Wednesday, the same day a fragile ceasefire took effect in neighbouring Lebanon between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group, a Damascus ally, after two months of all-out war.

"Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) and allied factions... took control of most of the city and government centres and prisons", said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

In Gaza, Israel's airstrikes killed several civilians as its war enters its 421st day.

Seven civilians were killed, and many were injured after an Israeli airstrike targeted a house in the Al-Rimal neighbourhood in the centre of Gaza City.

A Palestinian was killed after a drone fired bulets in the Al-Rimal neighborhood in the center of Gaza City and two were killed after the army bombed a vehicle on Salah Al-Din Road in the Al-Satar Al-Sharqi area, northeast of Khan Yunis, south of the Strip.

10 civilians were killed and others were injured after an Israeli airstrike targeted an apartment in the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, northwest of Gaza.

News.Az