Armed militants, led by Tanzim Hurras Al-Deen, launched a big offensive in the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate on Monday, July 2 afternoon and stormed the National Defense Forces’ (NDF) positions at the Tal Bizam axis in a bid to overwhelm them, Al-Masdar News reports citing a military source.

In response to the attack, the source said the Syrian army and NDF units in Mhardeh rained several missiles on the militant positions, with some projectiles landing close to the Turkish observation post near the town of Morek.

The source added that the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF) is now launching several airstrikes over the militant positions in the northern countryside of Hama.

No advances have been reported thus far.

The militants have posted on social media that the attack on the Tal Bizam axis comes as a response to the Syrian Arab Army’s recent offensive in southwest Syria.

Prior to Monday's attack, the militants threatened to launch a big attack on the Syrian Arab Army’s positions in retaliation for the Daraa offensive, so this assault from the opposition groups was expected by the Syrian Arab Army in the northern countryside of the Hama Governorate.