Syrian rebels receive more US-made missiles

Rebels near Aleppo say they have received new US-made anti-tank missiles from countries opposed to President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

Rebels from three groups said the new supplies helped them counter attacks by the Syrian army, which is backed by Russian air strikes and ground forces from Iran and Hezbollah in Lebanon, Reuters reported.

Syrian rebels use TOW anti-tank missiles on the battlefield. Photo: Longwarjournal

The supply of US-made TOW missiles to rebels in Aleppo and elsewhere in Syria appears to be a response to the renewed Russian-Iranian intervention. Foreign countries supporting the Syrian rebels include Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Qatar.

However, a senior rebel in Aleppo said the supplies were insufficient for the scale of the attack. “A few TOW missiles won’t do the trick. They need dozens,” said one.

Many rebels supported by countries opposed to Assad have been supplied with weapons through Türkiye, part of a US support program that includes military training conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency.

"We have received more weapons than before, including bombs, rocket launchers and anti-tank missiles," said Issa al-Turkmani, a rebel commander in the Aleppo area. "We have received more TOW missiles in the past few days."

TOW missiles are the most powerful weapons in the rebel arsenal. Rebels have also used TOWs to fend off a government offensive in Hama, southwest of Aleppo.

According to VNE