Syrian troops are slowly and quietly pushing rebels out of their southern village strongholds on the Israeli and Jordanian borders, DEBKAfile reports. In the West, government forces and Hizballah troops reinforced from Lebanon have stalled the drive the rebels launched last week into Assad’s homeland Latakia province and Allawite Mts. The rebels have demonstrated once again their inability to sustain an offensive up to strategic gains against Assad’s combined army and air force.