Quneitra offensive (June 2017)

The Quneitra offensive (June 2017), code-named "Road to Damascus", was a military operation launched by rebel forces against the Syrian Arab Army at the town of Madinat al-Baath, in the Quneitra Governorate, during the Syrian Civil War.

The offensive
The offensive, led by the Salafist jihadist rebel group Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was launched on 24 June, against Madinat al-Baath, also known as Baath City. As the attack was underway, Israeli warplanes bombed Syrian military positions at the entrance to the town, destroying a tank and a Shilka SPAAG according to the Syrian military. Israel stated the strikes were in retaliation for errant rocket fire that hit the Israeli-controlled part of the Golan Heights and that it destroyed two tanks, one as it was preparing to fire. Israeli journalist Ron Ben-Yishai reported the errant fire as notable for including an unusual number of "10 mortar shells and tank projectiles" landing in an open area in Israeli territory. As a result of the air-strikes, the rebels reportedly captured several positions near Baath City.

By the next day, government forces managed to recapture all lost positions. However, later in the day, Israel once again conducted air-strikes against government positions, hitting two artillery positions and an ammunition truck. The strikes, which killed two Syrian army soldiers, were again in retaliation for reported rocket strikes hitting the Israeli part of the Golan Heights. Following the strikes, the Syrian government said rebels launched a new attack on Baath City and a pro-opposition activist claimed the rebels managed to break through the government's first line of defence.

Israel conducted a third round of air-strikes on 26 June, killing two soldiers, after which the rebels attacked the strategic hilltop of Tal Ahmar. The attack on the hill was eventually repelled. At least four Syrian soldiers were reported killed in the three days of Israeli air-strikes.

In the early hours of 28 June, ground clashes erupted, accompanied by air-strikes by the Syrian Air Force. Later in the day, shelling between both sides took place and in the evening a major government counter-attack retook all remaining territory that the rebel forces had captured during the offensive. The Syrian Army then attempted to advance westwards into rebel-held areas, but were thwarted by the Israeli Air Force which raided their positions at Al-Samdaniyah Al-Sharqiyah. According to Israel, the attack was in retaliation for a stray mortar shell hitting their territory. The next morning, the rebels hit Madinat al-Baath with a barrage of TOW anti-tank missiles in an attempt to restart their offensive.

On 1 July, the Syrian Army, supported by the National Defence Forces, continued their counter-attack, recapturing the quarries area west of Baath City and thus reversing all rebel gains during the offensive. During the fighting, two stray artillery rounds hit the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, prompting Israeli forces to target the Syrian military artillery position which according to them was the source of the firing.

A four-day unilateral ceasefire was announced by the Syrian Army to take place between midday 2 July and midnight on 6 July. Still, clashes renewed near Baath City on 3 July, with Israeli helicopters reportedly attacking Syrian Army positions.

Aftermath
On 8 July, the Syrian Army captured several points near Al-Samdaniyah Al-Gharbiyah.

As a precursor to Astana 5 peace talks, on 9 July 2017, at 0900 GMT, an American-Russian-Jordanian brokered ceasefire commenced, though on July 14, opposition groups participating in the Quneitra offensive rejected the ceasefire, with clashes resuming across Southern Syria. Besides minor violations from all sides involved, as of 15 July, the ceasefire has held. The Southern Front boycotted these talks.

On 8 September, Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) fighters launched an offensive in the direction of the town of Hader, reportedly showering the town with missiles before launching a ground assault resulting in the capture of Tal al-Hira hilltop. However, later in the day the Syrian Army, alongside National Defense Forces, reported it had recaptured the high-point.

Despite the truce, government shelling was reported by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights in late September 2017.

In mid-October 2017, the Syrian Army launched an operation in the nearby region known as Western Ghouta, capturing Tal Bard’ayyah hill and thus securing fire control over the town of Beit Jinn, held by HTS. However, the rebels recaptured all positions they had lost two days later. During this time, Israel conducted several strikes against Syrian Army artillery positions due to errant rocket fire hitting Israeli-held parts of the Golan Heights.