Russia has termed the rebel assault as a 'direct violation of Syria's sovereignty', but hinted that it may intervene militarily. Meanwhile, the rebels continue to push forward as they assert control in Aleppo,

Russian forces along with Syrian military launched air attacks on advancing rebels and jihadists in Syria's Aleppo and Idlib while Israeli Air Force also launched attacks on Hezbollah sites in the war-torn country.

The loss of Aleppo to Islamist rebels represents a stunning defeat for the Syrian regime, highlighting its dependence on enfeebled allies.