Even as Israel bombarded Syria, officials say the U.S. and Gulf countries were working to weaken its president’s alliance with Tehran. Rebels’ shock advance has dampened those hopes.

Iranian foreign minister has said that the country is ready to send troops to Syria and is awaiting official request from president Bashar Al-Assad. This comes as Iran's ally Russia is already helping the government forces fight Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham rebels in Syria.

At least 300 fighters, primarily from Iraq's Badr and Nujabaa groups, crossed late on Sunday using a dirt road to avoid the official border crossing, two Iraqi security sources said, adding that they were there to defend a Shi'ite shrine.

The sources told Reuters that Hezbollah had not yet been asked to intervene, adding that the group was not ready to send forces to Syria at this stage following more than a year o

"The Syrian Army does not need fighters," a Hezbollah spokesperson told Newsweek on Monday. "It can defend its land." The remarks came as the Syrian military attempted to organize