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Russia Fires Cruise Missiles in Syria as Assad Begins a Ground Attack Russian Cruise Missiles Help Syrians Go on the Offensive
(about 5 hours later)
BEIRUT, Lebanon — Russia and Syria unleashed a coordinated assault by land, air and sea on Wednesday, seeking to reverse recent gains by rebel groups that were beginning to encroach on President Bashar al-Assad’s last bastion of power. BEIRUT, Lebanon — Russia and Syria unleashed a coordinated assault by land, air and sea on Wednesday, seeking to reverse recent gains by rebel groups that were beginning to encroach on the Syrian coast, a critical bastion of power for President Bashar al-Assad.
Moscow said it had fired 26 cruise missiles on Syrian targets from naval vessels in the Caspian Sea, 900 miles away, though it was not immediately clear whether they hit targets in the area of the ground offensive. Moscow said it had fired 26 cruise missiles at Syrian targets from naval vessels in the Caspian Sea, 900 miles away, though it was not immediately clear whether they had struck in the area of the ground offensive.
The ground assault, and airstrikes, seemed to focus on an area of northern Hama Province and southern Idlib Province, around three villages that insurgents consider the first line of defense of the strategic Jebel al-Zawiyah area. Although in its early stages, the coordinated attack has revealed the outline of a newly deepened and operationally coordinated alliance among Syria, Iran, Russia and the militant group Hezbollah, according to an official with the alliance, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military strategy.
The bombardment appeared to be severe in some places. One video showed white smoke rising above a village’s minarets, while another appeared to show at least a dozen explosions — the person filming described the weapons as rockets — in less than five minutes. The official said the Russian intervention — a result of plans by the four allies over at least four to six months — had rejuvenated Syrian government forces and put to rest any doubts about Russia’s commitment to the Syrian president.
At certain points in Wednesday’s fighting, rebels fired advanced TOW antitank missiles, supplied covertly by the C.I.A., at Syria’s Russian-made tanks, leaving the impression of a proxy war between Russia and the United States. Videos posted by rebel groups, including the American-backed Division 17 and Suqour al-Ghab, showed the guided missiles sailing toward approaching tanks and destroying them. Despite Western calls for his departure, Mr. Assad remains in power more than four years into a war that has killed a quarter of a million people and displaced half the country.
There were also airstrikes elsewhere in Syria, according to SANA, the state news agency, which said that Syrian and Russian warplanes worked together to target Islamic State fighters in Al Bab, a city long held by the militant group in eastern Aleppo Province.
Although in its early stages, the coordinated attack has revealed the outline of a new alliance among Syria, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Iran and Russia, said an official with that alliance, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss military strategy.
The official said the Russian intervention — the result of plans by the four allies over at least the past four to six months — had rejuvenated the Assad forces and put to rest any doubts about Russia’s commitment to Mr. Assad. Despite Western calls for his departure, the Syrian leader remains in power more than four years into a war that has killed a quarter of a million people and displaced half the country’s population.
“No more questions,” the official said in tones of renewed confidence and optimism. “Not at any level.”“No more questions,” the official said in tones of renewed confidence and optimism. “Not at any level.”
The offensive aims to retake areas gained in the spring by an insurgent coalition, the Army of Conquest, or Jaish al-Fatah that threated the government-held coastal province of Latakia, the homeland of Mr. Assad and fellow members of his Alawite sect. It was the first time since those spring setbacks that the government’s forces had moved “from defense to offense,” the official said. For Mr. Assad’s supporters and opponents alike, regionally and internationally, Russia’s increasing willingness to throw its full military power behind him amounts to a game-changer. For his supporters, it gives a much-needed respite to depleted ranks of fighters and bolsters morale. For his opponents, it means taking on a vastly stronger foe and severely constrains options — for instance, virtually ruling out the imposition of a no-fly zone or buffer zone along the border with Turkey. 
While Russian officials said the sea-launched missiles targeted the Islamic State, also called ISIS or ISIL, Western officials say that so far the great majority of their attacks have been directed against rebel groups fighting Mr. Assad. There were no reports of large explosions in Islamic State-held parts of Syria farther east, making it less likely that the cruise missiles went there. Russia has focused its operations on the insurgent coalition known as the Army of Conquest, or Jaish al-Fatah, rather than the Islamic State, according to the official from the pro-government alliance. This is because it is Army of Conquest positions that most threaten the crucial government-held coastal province of Latakia, while Islamic State forces are further to the east and more easily contained. Latakia is Mr. Assad’s family’s ancestral home and the heartland of his fellow Alawites, who provide a critical bloc of support.
The news of the missile attack came in a televised meeting between the Russian defense minister, Sergey K. Shoigu and President Vladimir V. Putin. Wednesday was the first time since the spring that the government’s forces had moved “from defense to offense,” the official said.
“That we fired from the territory of the Caspian Sea, at a range greater than 1,500 kilometers, and hit targets precisely, this shows high qualifications,” Mr. Putin said, referring to naval crew members. Mr. Shoigu said that no civilians had been injured in the attack. The assault seemed to focus on an area straddling northern Hama Province and southern Idlib Province, where insurgent command of high ground threatens the coast. The initial ground attacks took place around three villages that insurgents consider the first line of defense of the strategic Jebel al-Zawiyah area.
The ground operation will eventually include new contingents of fighters from Hezbollah, as well as the current configuration of Syrian forces backed by Russians in the air, according to the official with the alliance. In addition, Iranian military advisers have long been active on the ground in Syria and will most likely be involved in such a crucial operation. The bombardment appeared to reach new levels of intensity in some places. One video showed white smoke rising far above a village’s minarets, while another appeared to show at least a dozen explosions — the person filming described the weapons as rockets — in less than five minutes.
There were no reports of Russians joining in the fighting, though an official refused to rule out the possibility of Russian “volunteers” becoming involved. A number of times in Wednesday’s fighting, insurgents fired advanced TOW antitank missiles, supplied covertly by the C.I.A., at Syria’s Russian-made tanks, leaving the impression of a proxy war between Russia and the United States. Rebel groups, including two that have received American aid, posted videos that showed the guided missiles sailing toward approaching tanks and destroying them.
The ground offensive aims to push insurgents out first in northern Hama Province, where the attacks on Wednesday took place, later moving north into Idlib Province, according to the official and to diplomats and analysts in the region. In addition to Jebel al-Zawiyah, the government is trying to reclaim Jisr al-Shoughour, a city in Idlib Province that was captured by insurgents in March — a military victory that was considered an ominous sign for the Syrian government. The main thrust of the offensive was aimed at areas held by insurgent groups that oppose both Mr. Assad and the Islamic State, including the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate. But there were airstrikes elsewhere in Syria, according to SANA, the state news agency, which said that Syrian and Russian warplanes had worked together to attack targets in Al Bab, a city in eastern Aleppo Province long held by the Islamic State.
The Army of Conquest is an Islamist faction that includes the Nusra Front, Al Qaeda’s Syrian affiliate, as well as more secular groups that often fight alongside it, including some that have received American aid. Russia has so far refused to make a distinction between the Army of Conquest and the Islamic State, labeling both groups as terrorists. While Russian officials said the missiles launched from the Caspian Sea had targeted the Islamic State, also called ISIS or ISIL, Western officials said the great majority of the attacks had been directed against rebel groups fighting Mr. Assad. There were no reports of large explosions in Islamic State-held areas to the east, making it less likely that the cruise missiles had hit the group’s strongholds.
On Wednesday, though, they helped blunt the start of the new ground offensive. “The regime stopped progressing, but the mortars are still hitting us,” said Abu Imad, a fighter with the Islamist group Jund al-Aqsa, who, giving only a nom de guerre for safety, said a united response by several rebel factions had helped repel the attack. The news of the missile attacks came in a televised meeting between the Russian defense minister, Sergei K. Shoigu, and President Vladimir V. Putin.
Russian diplomats, a senior Foreign Ministry official said, have asked the United States to identify armed groups other than units of the Syrian Army that are fighting the Islamic State and that should be avoided in airstrikes, but the official said the Russians had not yet received an answer. “That we fired from the territory of the Caspian Sea, at a range greater than 1,500 kilometers, and hit targets precisely, this shows high qualifications,” Mr. Putin said, referring to naval crew members. Mr. Shoigu said that no civilians had been injured.
“If there are some forces that also have weapons in their hands and are on the ground fighting, as the coalition says, with the Islamic State, and they should not be touched, then wonderful,” the official said. “Give the list, give the call signs of these people. Tell us where are they located, explain why they shouldn’t be touched. Indeed, this information is not provided.” The ground operation will eventually widen to include new contingents of fighters from Hezbollah, which has long played a key role on the front lines, as well as the current configuration of Syrian forces backed by Russians in the air, according to the alliance official. In addition, Iranian military advisers have been active on the ground in Syria and would most likely be involved in such a crucial operation.
When asked in a news conference in Rome about the new Syrian ground offensive, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter, lamented “the Assad regime’s use of violence against its own people.” There were no reports of Russians’ joining in the fighting, though an official refused to rule out the possibility of “volunteers” becoming involved.
Mr. Carter added that “to the extent that Russia enables that, that’s the fundamental reason we believe Russia is making a mistake in their actions in Syria.” The ground offensive is meant first to push the insurgents out of northern Hama Province, and then to move north into Idlib Province, according to the official and to diplomats and analysts in the region. In addition to Jebel al-Zawiyah, the government is trying to reclaim Jisr al-Shoughour, a city in Idlib that insurgents captured in March, a victory that was considered an ominous sign for the Syrian government.
He took issue with what he said were suggestions in the news media that the United States was cooperating with Russia on Syria. He said that the only exchanges that the Pentagon and the Russian military could have on Syria at the moment were technical discussions on how to steer clear of each other’s way in the skies above the country — called “deconfliction” talks. The Army of Conquest is an Islamist coalition that includes the Nusra Front. Often fighting alongside it are more secular groups calling themselves the Free Syrian Army, including some that have received American aid. Russia has so far refused to make a distinction between the Army of Conquest and the Islamic State, labeling both groups as terrorists. Some Free Syrian Army groups have been hit in Russian strikes.
NATO has repeatedly warned Russia — so far, to little effect — that its military intervention will only worsen the situation on the ground. NATO officials did not have an immediate response to the cruise missile deployment on Wednesday, but pointed to earlier remarks the alliance’s secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg. On Wednesday, insurgents said they had managed to blunt the start of the new ground offensive. “The regime stopped progressing, but the mortars are still hitting us,” said Abu Imad, a fighter with the Islamist group Jund al-Aqsa, who gave only a nom de guerre for safety. He said a united response by several rebel factions had helped repel the attack.
“I can confirm that we have seen a substantial buildup of Russian forces in Syria,” Mr. Stoltenberg said at a news conference on Monday. “Air forces, air defenses, but also then ground troops in connection with the air base they have.” One fighter was being hailed as the “TOW king” after he was said to have destroyed four tanks using TOW missiles. Activists circulated pictures of him beaming over a celebratory meal, and of other fighters riding in a newly captured tank.
He continued, “We also see increased naval presence of Russian ships, naval capabilities outside Syria or the eastern part of the Mediterranean.” When asked at a news conference in Rome about the ground offensive, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter lamented “the Assad regime’s use of violence against its own people.”
Mr. Carter added, “To the extent that Russia enables that, that’s the fundamental reason we believe Russia is making a mistake in their actions in Syria.”