Thousands of Syrian insurgents took over most of Aleppo on Saturday, establishing positions in the country’s largest city and controlling its airport before expanding their shock offensive to a nearby province. They faced little to no resistance from government troops, according to fighters and activists.

The 13-year civil war in Syria has roared back into prominence with a surprise rebel offensive on one of Syria’s largest cities and an ancient business hub. The rebel advances in Aleppo are among the largest in years in a war whose destabilizing effects have rippled far beyond Syria’s borders.

Insurgents breached Syria’s largest city Friday and clashed with government forces for the first time since 2016, according to a war monitor and fighters, in a surprise attack that sent residents fleeing and added fresh uncertainty to a region reeling from multiple wars.

The Israel Defense Forces said it attacked a Hezbollah facility in southern Lebanon after identifying “terrorist activity” by the Iran-backed militant group, and separately opened fire on “several suspects” who it said had breached the terms of the cease-fire.

Iran will begin enriching uranium with thousands of advanced centrifuges at its two main nuclear facilities at Fordo and Natanz, the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog said Friday, further raising tensions over Tehran’s program as it enriches at near weapons-grade levels.

For the first time since the Taliban takeover three years ago, Afghans living outside the country have begun flocking back to their homeland, usually to visit relatives who have remained in Afghanistan.

As quickly as they had fled, people across Lebanon on Wednesday strapped belongings atop cars and headed home, uncertain what awaited them in their cities, towns or villages - or, for their ravaged country, what came next.

Thousands of Lebanese displaced by the war between Israel and Hezbollah militants returned home Wednesday as a ceasefire took hold, driving cars stacked with personal belongings and defying warnings from Lebanese and Israeli troops to avoid some areas.

U.S. forces in the Middle East conducted a strike Tuesday against an Iran-backed militant weapons storage facility in Syria, according to U.S. Central Command.

In 2006, the U.N. Security Council voted for a resolution to end a month-long conflict between Israel and Lebanon’s powerful Hezbollah militant group and pave the way for lasting security along the border. There was relative calm for nearly two decades, but Resolution 1701’s terms were never fully enforced. Now, figuring out how to finally enforce it is key to a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal approved by Israel on Tuesday.