The Syrian Arab Army (SAA), alongside elements of Hezbollah and the National Defense Forces (NDF), liberated five towns from the Islamic State group in central Syria, Hezbollah’s official media wing reported on Wednesday, September 13.

According to the Lebanese organization’s media wing, the Syrian Arab Army and their allies liberated the towns of Zaghroutiyah, Drawayshiyah, Lawaybdah, Ghaniman, and Umm Sajj in the eastern countryside of the Homs Governorate, Al-Masdar News reports.

The Syrian army was able to make this advance, after a night of nonstop air raids by the Russian Aerospace Forces in central Syria.

With the battle in central Syria wrapping up, the Syrian Arab Army has begun moving forces from this region to the Deir ez-Zor front, where they are preparing to launch the third phase of their offensive.