Chapter 1357 - 1143: Global Shockwave

Damascus Presidential Palace press conference hall, brightly lit and crowded.

Journalists from major media worldwide filled every corner, their cameras aimed at the empty podium.

An atmosphere of tension and anticipation pervaded the air.

For the past three days, rumors have been rife about President Hafez being poisoned and critically ill, and the impending collapse of the Siria regime, making the suddenly announced press conference full of suspense.

At exactly ten o'clock in the evening local time, the side door opened.

Under the protection of a team of elite Presidential Guards, President Hafez, dressed in a smart military uniform (not hospital attire), walked steadily onto the podium.

Although his face showed slight fatigue, his eyes were sharp, and his stance was upright, a stark contrast to the rumored "critically ill" image.

The crowd instantly erupted into a huge commotion, a wave of flashing lights almost engulfing the entire hall.

Exclamations, shutter sounds, and reporters' urgent questions mingled together.

Hafez pressed his hands down slightly, signaling for silence.

He walked to the microphone, swept his gaze across the room, and his voice spread through the hall with undeniable authority:

"Ladies and gentlemen, dear media friends. First, I want to thank you all for your concern about my personal health condition. Indeed, the past few days, I faced an unexpected health challenge."

He paused deliberately, creating a brief silence, making everyone hold their breath.

"But—"

He emphasized, his voice loud and clear, "As you can see, the President of Siria still stands here, stands at his post! Any attempt to undermine Siria's national stability with despicable means is doomed to failure!"

He directly pointed out the "plot" but did not specify details, leaving ample room for imagination and avoiding premature exposure of strategies.

"I want to tell all the people concerned about Siria and those enemies expecting our downfall: the Siria Government remains steadfast! Our army remains loyal! Our will is indomitable!"

Hafez's voice was full of power.

"In response to the recent temporary difficulties faced on the northern front, I am here to announce significant news: Based on the deep strategic alliance between Russia and Siria, and at our request, our great friend—the Russian Federation has decided to take all necessary measures, including military means, to assist us in combating terrorism and restoring national peace and stability!"

Upon hearing this, the crowd was astonished again. Russia's deep involvement!

This means a fundamental reversal in the Siria war situation!

Immediately, Hafez took advantage of the momentum, delivering an impassioned mobilization speech, calling the entire military personnel and civilians to unite and cooperate with Russian forces to launch a counterattack against the enemy.

His "king's return" image, along with the heavy news of Russian involvement, spread instantly through live broadcasts worldwide.

The entire global village was set ablaze.

First, from Moscow's side, although the Kremlin now knows Hafez and Song Heping had actually played a "resurrection" trick with them, they still expressed "comfort" at Hafez's "recovery" and swift statement, claiming this proves the resilience of the Siria regime and reiterating that Russian military actions are exclusively aimed at combating terrorists and supporting the legitimate government.

The Americans' reaction appeared comparatively exasperated.

White House spokespersons used stern language, condemning Russia's "military adventurism" as a "serious violation" of Siria's democracy and freedom, claiming that the "poisoning" incident of Hafez is highly questionable, suggesting it might have been a self-directed play to create an excuse for Russian intervention.

Then, the US State Department announced consideration of new sanctions against Russia.

Unfortunately, it might be useless.

Just like the Crimea incident earlier in the year, the Americans and their allies had already imposed hundreds of sanctions on Russia.

As the saying goes, a load of debts doesn't worry, and many fleas don't itch.

Da Mao's side displayed very calm attitude, acting indifferently.

In Europe, major countries like England, France, Germany expressed "serious concern," calling for restraint from all parties to avoid escalation, but internal differences were apparent, making forming a united strong response difficult.

As for Middle Eastern countries, reactions varied—Turkey strongly protested, claiming Russian military actions threaten its security; Daishe Bird remained silent but the Air Force increased patrols over Liben; Persian side publicly expressed support for the Siria Government and Russia's decision.

Hafez's appearance acted like a shot in the arm, temporarily stabilizing the panic mood in Damascus and even in all government-controlled areas nationwide.

But the real test is at the northern battlefield.

While Hafez held the press conference, several bulletproof modified off-road vehicles sped north along the strategic highway to Homs in the night.

Inside the vehicles, Song Heping and "Chef" Yevgeny carefully studied the unfolded map through the reading lamp's glow.

"Freedom Army and HTS's vanguard troops have reached the checkpoint at northern outskirts of Homs, engaging in fire with Fourth Armored Division's front-line troops."

"Chef" pointed at several spots on the map.

"Fourth Division commander Rahman is a tough nut but lacks heavy artillery and effective air support, making the battle difficult. My Wagner Team has approximately 2000 men scattered in Homs City and surrounding key points, already engaged in combat, but forces are insufficient."

Song Heping stared at the arrows representing friendly and enemy forces on the map, said gravely, "The key is to withstand the initial 24 hours. Russian Air Force needs time to establish a complete chain of air strikes. We must integrate all available forces to establish a flexible defense line outside Homs City, prevent them from breaking into the city, here and Halaib situation are different."