In Syria, intense air strikes have hit several rebel-held areas in Aleppo for the first time in more than two weeks, signalling the start of a major government offensive in Syria's northern city. The ferocious bombardment of eastern Aleppo on yesterday came as Russian armed forces also announced the launch of a large-scale operation against opposition targets in Syria. <br/><br/>According to The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and other groups the air strikes killed at least 10 people in Aleppo city. Aleppo has become the fiercest front in Syria's five-and-a-half-year war, pitting President Bashar al-Assad, supported by Russia, Iran and Shia militias, against Sunni rebels, including groups backed by Turkey, the United States and Gulf monarchies.<br/><br/>Also on yesterday, Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said fighter jets from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier deployed in the eastern Mediterranean had launched their first strikes on Syria. He said Russian jets would target ammunition depots, training camps and armaments factories in the rebel-held province of Idlib and the central province of Homs.