Still, it’s unlikely that this offensive will be enough in and of itself to bring Assad down.

HTS will need other groups to attack as well, especially from southern Syria.
And they will have to learn to cooperate, something they were unable to do at the height of the civil war almost a decade ago.

Moreover, there is no guarantee that recent success will continue, especially if Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah wake up to the threat and find a way to throw real resources at the attack.

“If so, we could see this end very quickly,” said Valensi.

boon for Israel
Seeing the Assad regime fade into history would be a massive and unexpected boon for Israel, the next pillar holding up the Iranian facade across the region to crumble.

It would come as Israel shifts its focus in the north to preventing Hezbollah from replenishing its supply of arms, the bulk of which comes through Syria to Lebanon.

Speaking to The Times of Israel, an Israel official wouldn’t say whether Israel saw the rebel success as a positive development, noting only that Israel is “paying close attention all the time to what is happening in Syria, and is ready for any scenario.”