Date: Jun 27, 2018 Source: The Daily Star Syria army begins assault on Deraa city: state media DAMASCUS: Syria's army is launching its assault on rebel districts of the flashpoint southern city of Deraa, state media said on Tuesday, following a week of escalating operations in the countryside. Russian-backed Syrian troops have been ramping up their bombardment and ground operations against rebels during the past week in eastern parts of Daraa province. On Tuesday, state media said the army was launching an "operation" on the city itself. State media also reported that government airstrikes are targeting southeastern parts of southern Deraa province, ahead of a new offensive there. State TV says the offensive aims to cut supply lines between eastern Deraa and rebel-held parts of the provincial capital, which carries the same name. The TV says the operations that began on Tuesday afternoon near the province's main grain silos that have been controlled by rebels for years. "Syria's army is carrying out targeted air strikes against terrorist positions and fortifications in Deraa," state television reported. Government news agency SANA said the strikes were a prelude "before military units advance into the southeastern quarter of the city." Rebel groups mainly hold the southern half of the city while loyalists control the north. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights activist group also reported bombing and clashes in the city on Tuesday. "Russian and Syrian air strikes, as well as barrel bombs, targeted rebel areas in Deraa city," said Observatory head Rami Abdel Rahman. The activist group said it was the first ground operation inside the city since the escalation began. Syria's army is pursuing a divide-and-conquer strategy against rebels in the south, seeking to chop up the horseshoe-shaped territory that the opposition holds. "The regime is seeking to take control of a military base south of the city, which will allow it to cut the route between Deraa city and the Jordanian border, as well as further divide the rebel areas," said Abdel Rahman.