THE Syrian army is launching a new push to retake eastern deserts after regaining full control of the main road from Damascus to Palmyra for the first time since it was lost in 2014.

Operation Grand Dawn will aim to drive Isis from the east of Homs province and neighbouring Deir Ezzor, marching to the Euhphrates river and the long border with Iraq.

Major advances on Thursday evening supported by Russian air strikes pushed Isis fighters out of desert territory spanning 1,100 square miles, putting the direct road from the capital to Palmyra back into the hands of the Syrian government.

Yesterday Lebanon’s Al Masdar News reported the Syrian troops had redeployed to the east of Hama province, north of Homs city.

Success would put the army in a position to strike northeast towards the Euphrates valley south of the Isis stronghold of Raqqa — and then march down the river to lift the Isis siege on Deir Ezzor city.

The new offensive has been given added urgency by the US-led coalition’s recent bid to seize oil-rich Deir Ezzor using rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) factions as proxy forces.

Unconfirmed reports yesterday said the FSA had resumed conflict against the army in southern Sweida province bordering Jordan, where British and US special forces are training and arming anti-government fighters.

US Central Command — leading the Inherent Resolve coalition — announced yesterday that its air strikes had killed just two Isis militants in Syria and one in Iraq since April.

But locals in Mayadeen, south of Deir Ezzor city, said 35 civilians — mostly women and children — were killed and scores more injured in a US air raid on Thursday evening.

The jets reportedly targeted the town’s market and a four-storey building, which was completely destroyed.