The Syrian Arab Army, along with the Russian Armed Forces, launched a major military operation against the Islamic State in central Syria.

According to reports from Homs Governory, the Syrian Arab Army and allied forces began striking Islamic State positions in the Badiya Al-Sham area.

At the same time, the Russian Air Force is bombing Islamic State positions in the Homs, Hama and Dyr ez-zor governments.

Russian air strikes have forced Islamic State to abandon some of its hideouts in central Syria, especially in the mountainous part of the Syrian desert, which ISIS used to evade Syrian Army patrols.

Video released over the weekend shows the Syrian Armed Forces in the desert preparing for the operation against The Islamic State.