Factions affiliated with the Damascus government shelled the villages of Haj Hussein and Sheikh Mahshi, in addition to Syriatel Hill in the vicinity of Tishreen Dam, using artillery and heavy weapons over the past 90 minutes, the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) reported on X during the reporting window from 7:46 PM to 9:16 PM UTC on December 15, 2025. The SDF stated this constitutes a dangerous escalation. The SDF update specified shelling on Haj Hussein, Sheikh Mahshi, and Syriatel Hill, areas in the vicinity of Tishreen Dam east of Aleppo, as occurring at that time. Separately, President Donald Trump stated he still trusts the Syrian president following an incident in which two American soldiers were killed by a member of the security forces of the al-Sharia administration. Trump said, "Yes. It had nothing to do with him. He is a strong man. The attack was not linked to the Syrian government," according to a Telegram news channel quoting a journalist's question and Trump's response.
