2015 Southern Syria offensive

The 2015 Southern Syria offensive, code-named "Ali Allah Dadi for Quneitra Martyrs", is an ongoing offensive launched in southern Syria during the Syrian civil war by the Syrian Arab Army, Hezbollah and Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps forces.

The strategic aims of the offensive are the elimination of an Israeli buffer zone and attacking Al-Nusra Front forces in the area between Israel and Syria, guarding the Syrian capital of Damascus against further rebel encroachment, preventing the Syrian rebels from establishing a southeastern front in Lebanon and cutting off rebel supply lines leading to Jordan. An additional aim of the offensive is the creation of a Hezbollah-controlled "Golan front" against Israel. The offensive focuses on a triangle of rebel-held territory from rural areas southwest of Damascus to Daraa city to Quneitra, with the initial focus being on seizing the villages of Kafr Shams, Zimreen and Deir al-Adas.

Offensive
On 7 February 2015, the Army's 5th Armored Division, along with reinforcements from the 7th Infantry Division, launched the offensive in the northern part of Daraa province. During the first day's fighting, 10 rebels were killed in clashes around Kafr Shams.

On 8 February, government forces bombarded multiple towns in Daraa province and heavy fighting ensued which left 11 rebels dead. The heaviest clashes occurred at Kafr Shams. The military also bombarded the towns of Om Batena and Mashara in the Quneitera province, as the Army's 9th Division launched an offensive in that governorate as well. According to a military source, government forces captured several hills. Meanwhile, in Rif Dimashq province government troops managed to capture Tall Marri hill, but were unable to advance towards the town of Deir Makir. The capture of Tall Marri hill was significant because it cut a rebel supply line and increased the isolation of rebel-held pockets around the city of Damascus.

On 9 February, fighting erupted in Deir Makir and around Deir al-Adas in Daraa where four rebels were killed and two Army tanks were destroyed. By the end of the day, the Army, supported by the NDF, Hezbollah and Iranian fighters, advanced in the al-Ollayqat area near Deir al-Adas. Military sources reported that 65% Deir al-Adas, as well as Tal Ghasham near Kafr Shams, were captured. The Army also captured the village of Tayha.

According to the rebels, government troops were supported by a large number of Afghan fighters as well during the offensive in Daraa and Rif Dimashq.

On the morning of 10 February, the Army ambushed a group of Al-Nusra Front rebels at the village of Mahjat, in northern Daraa, leaving between 8 and 19 fighters dead. Meanwhile, fighting in Der al-Adas left another eight rebels dead, while government troops advanced and captured Deir Makir, al-Danaji and Habariyah. Later the military secured Deir al-Adas, with over 40 rebels and 23 soldiers being killed during the battle for the town.

During the day, government artillery and air strikes hit rebel positions in Mashara, directly east of Quneitra and Harrah, to cut off rebels in Daraa from the Golan. A reporter for the Lebanese al-Mayadeen news channel, embedded with the Syrian Army, reported from Quneitra that the offensive had cut an important rebel supply route from Jordan to opposition-held areas west of Damascus. Army artillery from Tall Ghurabah hill also struck rebel positions on Tall Antar hill, near Kafr Shams, during the day.

On 11 February, the Army and Hezbollah captured the hills of al-Arus and al-Sarja, near Deir Makir, and advanced towards Tall Sultana hill, which they bombarded. Meanwhile, Harrah residents reportedly asked rebel fighters to evacuate so to avoid any potential clashes in the town. At this point, the second phase of the government's Daraa offensive was started with fighting happening all along the frontline. In Rif Dimashq, according to SOHR, fighting raged around the Fatima hills where a number of soldiers were captured, as well as around Tall Hamrit hill with one tank being destroyed, and over Tall Antar and Tall Alaqiyah.

On 12 February, rapid advances by government forces slowed because of a snowstorm in the region. Still, the military captured the Ghirbal area of the town of Kafr Nasij, where fighters from Deir al-Adas had retreated to and were continuing to fight. After this, the commander of the rebel FSA 24th Division issued an urgent call for reinforcements. Fierce fighting also occurred in Sultaniyah, while the Army seized the Fatima hills and pushed the rebels toward Tall Qrein hill. Kafr Shams was also coming under attack.

On 13 February, Al-Masdar News reported the military captured Hamrit during the morning after breaching rebel defenses at the town the previous night. The next day, government forces continued to bombard Kafr Shams, Kafr Nasij and Tall Antar hill. Two Iranian IRGC officers (one of them a colonel) were killed in Kafr Nasij that day, while two reporters from the pro-government Al-Ekhbaria TV channel were wounded by rebel shelling on Deir al-Adas. According to the SOHR, 10 soldiers were executed on the charge of passing information to the enemy, while 5,000 more reinforcements were ordered to fight the rebels in the south. An Al-Nusra Front counter-attack on Deir al-Adas was reportedly repelled with 19 rebels and 11 soldiers being killed.

On 15 February, the Syrian Air Force resumed bombing rebel positions, after being forced to remain on the ground for five days due to bad weather conditions. Rebels claimed to have captured a senior Iranian officer and a Russian military missile system operator on the Daraa frontline. However, the Southern Front spokesman denied the claim of Iranian prisoners, but confirmed that the bodies of the two Iranian officers were in rebel possession.

On 17 February, a Hezbollah attack on Mashara was repelled. Still, fighting continued in the area of the village and the next day a military source reported Hezbollah had captured Tel Hill. At the same time, the al-Nusra Front started a counter-attack to recapture all ground lost since the start of the offensive and managed to advance near al-Danaji.