Syrian warplanes attack Islamic State-held Palmyra

BEIRUT — Syrian warplanes unleashed a wave of deadly air strikes on the Islamic State-held town of Palmyra in central Syria on Friday, killing at least 15 and wounding many more, activists said, in some of the heaviest bombardment since the extremist group seized the ancient town May 10.

The Palmyra air strikes come a day after the Syrian army carried out heavy air raids in the northern city of Raqqa, also held by the Islamic State group.

The Syrian government says it is the leading force fighting the Islamic State in Syria, and Russia, a key ally of President Bashar Assad, is trying to convince the West of the need to work with Syria in this effort.

[...] a coalition of rebel groups opened a major ground offensive on two predominantly Shiite villages in the northern province of Idlib.

Syrian television and Manar, a station owned by Lebanon’s Hezbollah group, said popular defense forces — a term used to refer to Shiite militias — foiled attempts by “terrorists” to attack Foua and destroyed five armored vehicles.