East Hama offensive (2017)

For the previous offensives, see Palmyra offensive (2017), Eastern Homs offensive (2017), East Aleppo offensive (January–April 2017), and Maskanah Plains offensive.

Eastern Hama offensive (2017)
Part of the Syrian Civil War and the Russian military intervention in Syria
Date 31 May – 18 June 2017 (2 weeks and 4 days) Location Salamiyah District, Eastern Hama Governorate, Syria Result Limited Army gains Offensive stalled Syrian army capture 2 towns, 4 villages and a hilltop
Belligerents
Syrian Arab Republic Russia Allied militias: Liwa al-Quds Hezbollah	Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant
Units involved
Syrian Armed Forces Syrian Army 10th Mechanised Division 11th Armored Division 18th Armoured Division 5th Corps al-Assad / Lion Shield Forces ISIL Hunters Republican Guard 800th Regiment Syrian Marines Tiger Forces Qalamoun Shield Forces National Defence Forces Golan Regiment al-Shaitat tribe militias Military Intelligence Directorate Military Security Shield Forces Desert Commandos Regiment Air Force Intelligence Directorate Fawj Nusur Homs Syrian Air Force Russian Armed Forces Russian Air Force Special operations forces advisors Hezbollah Radwan Forces Syrian Hezbollah units al-Ridha Forces al-Ghalibun Imam Mahdi Brigade	Military of ISIL

The Eastern Hama offensive (2017) was a military operation conducted by the Syrian Army against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) with the goal to secure the Ithriyah-Sheikh Hilal road, the government supply line towards Aleppo, and advance towards Wadi Auzain.

The offensive

See also: Syrian Desert campaign (May–July 2017)

On 31 May, the Syrian Arab Army and its allies, supported by the Russian Air Force, began an offensive towards the IS stronghold of Uqayribat, in the eastern part of the Salamiyah District in Hama Governorate. The next day, a new batch of government reinforcements arrived for the offensive. Uqayribat had been used by ISIL as a launching pad for attacks on Salamiyah. On 3 June, Syrian and Russian warplanes carried out more than 30 air strikes ISIL positions. Heavy artillery and missiles were also used.

During the morning of 5 June, the Syrian Arab Army, supported by the NDF, started an operation on a second axis against ISIL to the south of Sheikh Hilal. Before the ground attack, ISIL positions were hit by non-stop air strikes and artillery shelling. The next day, the Army captured two towns south-east of Sheikh Hilal.

On 12 June, the Syrian Army sent technicals, anti-aircraft guns and artillery pieces mounted on trucks to the area. Four days later, government forces restarted the offensive, capturing the large hilltop of Tal Dabbart Debah and then shifting their attention to the Aqareb Dam. During 18 June, the Army captured four villages north of Uqayribat, along the road between Ithriya and Al-Saan. On 13 July, Desert Hawks alongside NDF and Liwa al-Quds secured villages of Um Tuwaynah, al-Hardaneh and al-Qatshiyah, south of Salamiyah-Ithriyah road, thus securing the supply line to Aleppo city.