Islamist-led rebels captured the central Syrian city of Hama on Thursday in a new blow to President Bashar al-Assad's forces days after they lost the country's commercial hub Aleppo. The rebels led by Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched their offensive little more than a week ago, just as a ceasefire in neighbouring Lebanon took hold between Israel and Assad's ally Hezbollah.
