Exclusive: ISIS has launched an offensive at Deir ez-Zour

The Islamic State gathered thousands of fighters from Iraq and across Syria to bolster a major offensive launched Saturday for control of the strategic Syrian town of Deir Eez-Zour, which commands Syria’s eastern borders with Iraq and Jordan and the approaches to the Euphrates Valley. This is reported by DEBKAfile’s exclusive counterterrorism sources. They bought with them armored vehicles including tanks and long-range artillery batteries.
Although ISIS holds part of the town, Syrian government and allied forces are holding out under siege in some positions and at an important air base. Our sources report that ISIS has timed its offensive for the heavy winter conditions prevailing over the Middle East since Friday, which are keeping the US, Russian and Syrian air force planes grounded after they pounded ISIS targets during last week.