By Maya Gebeily and Suleiman Al-Khalidi BEIRUT/AMMAN (Reuters) -Syrian rebels advancing against government forces pushed close on Tuesday to the major city of Hama, rebels and a war monitor said, after their sudden capture of Aleppo last week rocked President Bashar al-Assad.

A new assault on Syrian regime forces reached the major city, according to rebels and a war monitor. Government warplanes struck back at rebel territory.

Syrian and Russian jets are stepping up strikes on opposition forces in northern Syria in retaliation for the sudden offensive that has cost the regime control of the country’s second largest city, Aleppo.