Good morning. We’re covering Russian and Iranian support for President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, and tensions between Israel and Hezbollah. Plus: A colorful salad to light up the gloom.
Russia and Iran pledged support for Syria’s presidentRussia and Iran, the staunchest allies of President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, pledged to stand behind his government yesterday, sending warplanes and voicing diplomatic support, as his forces attempted to repel a startling rebel advance. It remains to be seen if they can back that rhetoric up by stopping the rebels, especially since neither country has committed to sending ground troops. Instead, Russian and Syrian fighter jets were striking targets across territory seized by rebels in northwestern Syria yesterday, according to Syrian state media and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The Observatory, a Britain-based war monitor, said the strikes had killed both civilians and fighters. Yet the rebels appeared to continue their advance through Aleppo, once Syria’s largest city, and the surrounding areas, battling pro-Assad forces to capture more territory in Hama Province in western Syria. Background: Russian and Iranian officials have propped al-Assad up with military and diplomatic aid since the rebellion began to threaten his autocratic rule in 2011. Go deeper: The rebel group leading the current offensive, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, says it wants to replace the Assad government with one inspired by Islamic principles. Here’s what to know.
Hezbollah and Israel traded fire, straining a cease-fireHezbollah fired at Israeli-controlled territory yesterday for the first time since a cease-fire was reached last week. In response, Israel launched a wave of airstrikes in Lebanon. Each side has blamed the other for violating the tenuous truce. Hezbollah described its launches as “an initial defensive response that serves as a warning” and said they were prompted by “repeated violations of the agreement by the Israeli enemy.” The Hezbollah projectiles hit a strip of land called Shebaa Farms — Mount Dov to Israelis — that was seized by Israel in 1967 but is also claimed by Lebanon. There were no reported casualties. In response, the Israeli military said it had bombarded sites “throughout Lebanon,” including dozens of missile launchers. Israeli airstrikes killed at least 10 people and wounded three others in Lebanon yesterday, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry. In other news:
France’s opposition parties called for a no-confidence votePrime Minister Michel Barnier of France faces a no-confidence vote after pushing through a budget bill without a final parliamentary vote yesterday, making a government collapse increasingly likely. Lawmakers from both a left-wing alliance and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party swiftly filed motions for no-confidence votes, which could come as early as tomorrow. Context: The prospect of a government collapse — and of a failure to pass a budget by year’s end — has rattled financial markets and sharply increased France’s borrowing costs. Turmoil has deepened since snap elections this past summer yielded no clear parliamentary majority. Details: Article 49.3 of the French Constitution enables a government to push a bill through the National Assembly, France’s lower house of Parliament, without a vote. The provision has increasingly been seen as undemocratic.
Within a few hours’ drive of Mexico City, centuries-old estates known as haciendas have become restaurants, museums, hotels and even water parks. In all of them, beauty and history linger. Lives lived: Bob Bryar, the former drummer for the rock band My Chemical Romance, has died at 44.
31 days of holiday delightThe holidays can be joyous — and complicated. Every day this month, The Times will offer small pleasures, reflections and distractions as part of our “31 Days” series. To get things started, Genevieve Ko, a Food columnist, wrote about her tradition of baking different cookies every year to give her children a sense of amazement as they grow. Sign up for our email newsletter to catch a holiday playlist from Jennifer Hudson, read about the return of Chrismukkah and find out why Scandinavian gnomes are so appealing. We hope you’ve enjoyed this newsletter, which is made possible through subscriber support. Subscribe to The New York Times.
Cook: Bring sunshine to your day with a colorful taverna salad. Move: How to exercise for better sleep. Quiz: Test your knowledge of tween and teen novels that made the leap to the screen. Watch: Explore our critics’ list of the best movies of 2024. Play the Spelling Bee. And here are today’s Mini Crossword and Wordle. You can find all our puzzles here. That’s it for today’s briefing. See you tomorrow. — Natasha Reach Natasha and the team at briefing@nytimes.com.
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