ISIS continues to operate in areas controlled by both the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), with growing indications of a resurgence. Intelligence reports suggest the group has successfully infiltrated major Syrian cities following the fall of al-Assad’s regime, aiming to shift operations from remote desert regions toward urban centers and access roads, posing an escalating domestic threat and a broader regional risk to neighboring states.

Since losing its final stronghold in Baghouz, eastern Deir Ezzor, ISIS adopted a “lone wolf” strategy, carrying out surprise attacks with small units designed to inflict maximum damage and demonstrate continued relevance. This tactic has been seen in ambushes on military buses and convoys, temporary road closures, and attacks targeting disbanded Syrian army units across Deir Ezzor, al-Sukhna, Palmyra, and the deserts of Raqqa and Hama.

ISIS appears to have maintained this approach following Assad’s fall, with signs of an operational shift toward towns and cities. Most recently, the group carried out a car bombing targeting a Syrian General Security center in Mayadin, eastern Deir Ezzor. It also claimed responsibility for an attack on a vehicle belonging to the Syrian Army’s 86th Division, composed of former fighters from Turkish backed National Army factions, on the Athriya-Rasafa highway near Deir Ezzor. The assault killed two soldiers and wounded others, marking a new escalation that may intensify in the coming days.

This trend is reinforced by the group’s entrenched presence in the Syrian desert, particularly in Jabal al-Bishri and the corridor linking Deir Ezzor, Raqqa, and Hama to Aleppo’s outskirts, where ISIS cells remain active. The group also continues to operate in the Tanf desert, formerly known as 55-kilometer zone, reflecting its continued ability to move across a wide geographic expanse.

ISIS recently released a semiannual report via its social media channels, highlighting sustained activity despite the US declaration of its defeat in 2019. The report documented 44 attacks in Syria during the first half of 2025, resulting in 82 deaths and injuries. Overall, ISIS claimed 620 operations during that period, mostly concentrated in Africa, causing approximately 3,200 casualties.

In response, the SDF continued to target ISIS cells in Deir Ezzor’s countryside. A joint security operation with the US-led coalition in the Abu Khashab area, at the intersection of Hassakeh, Raqqa, and Deir Ezzor, led to the arrest of seven individuals accused of affiliation with the group. Additional raids resulted in the arrest of four suspected ISIS members in Raqqa’s al-Mashlab neighborhood, while an airborne operation in al-Karama, east of Raqqa, led to the capture of a suspected senior commander.

Meanwhile, the US-led coalition maintained its military posture, bringing reinforcements including weapons, ammunition, and equipment to bases across Hassakeh province and reinforcing positions in Raqqa and Ain al-Arab (Kobani). Since early July, 137 trucks have entered these bases.

Field sources say the coalition “did not reduce its activity in northeastern Syria and is expected to maintain its military presence,” citing recent ISIS activity and worsening security conditions as key factors. The same sources told Al-Akhbar that ISIS cells have “noticeably escalated their operations,” with intelligence pointing to further attacks. They expect “an increase in joint security operations involving the coalition and the SDF, and possibly the Free Syrian Army and the new Syrian administration, to prevent ISIS from exploiting the fragile security environment and regaining parts of its former influence”.

Al Akhbar report