The Russian and Syria air forces have been incredibly busy in the southern countryside of the Idlib Governorate in the past two days, as reports of an imminent jihadist offensive surfaced earlier in the week, Al-Masdar News reports.

Starting on Wednesday, April 25 morning, the Syrian and Russian air forces repeatedly pounded the southern countryside of the Idlib Governorate, hitting several targets that belong to Jaysh Al-Izza and their allies near the Hama Governorate axis.

According to a military source in nearby Latakia, the Syrian and Russian air forces carried out more than 100 airstrikes over southern Idlib and northern Hama, with the majority of these attacks taking place yesterday.

The Russian and Syrian airstrikes provided necessary back-up to the pro-government forces fighting off the encroaching jihadist rebels that attacked their positions yesterday.

The airstrikes reportedly inflicted so many jihadist casualties that the latter was forced to put an end to their offensive operations on Thursday.