Armed rebels have made gains in northwestern Syria, capturing significant territory a day after taking much of Aleppo. The Syrian military has announced a counteroffensive, with President Bashar al-Assad pledging to defend the nation against what he terms terrorist threats. Reports indicate high civilian casualties from recent Russian airstrikes in Idlib and Aleppo, leading to a humanitarian crisis as the situation remains fluid and largely unverified due to the absence of journalists in the conflict zone.