BEIRUT — Syrian President Bashar Assad signaled Tuesday that his government intends to escalate military efforts to crush the five-year-old uprising against his rule, saying the bloodshed will not end until he has regained control over all areas of Syria lost to the rebellion.

His tough words came amid indications that Russia is preparing to re-engage in the war in support of Assad, about three months after it threw its support behind a U.S.-backed cease-fire and announced it was withdrawing most of its military from Syria.

President Bashar Assad delivers tough talk to Syria's parliament in Damascus on Tuesday. The Associated Press

The violence has already been ticking up, with government and Russian warplanes conducting intense air raids over northern Syria in the past week and rebels launching an offensive to recapture territory south of the city of Aleppo. According to the Institute for the Study of War, Russia tripled the number of its airstrikes over a four-day period last week, to levels not seen since before the imposition of the cessation of hostilities in late February.

Assad’s comments, made in an address to a newly installed parliament in Damascus, suggested that he and his Russian allies are preparing for a full-scale resumption of the war, with Aleppo as their first target.

“As we liberated Tadmur (Palmyra) and before it many areas, we will liberate every inch of Syria from their hands. Our only option is victory; otherwise Syria will not survive,” he said, referring to the ancient town in central Syria recaptured from the Islamic State militant group in March.

A peace process launched in Geneva earlier this year has failed, Assad said, blaming the West and its allies. The talks have deadlocked mainly because of disagreements over whether he should remain in power.

“Our war on terrorism will continue not because we like war. They imposed war on us.” Assad said. “The bloodshed won’t end until we root out terrorism, wherever it is.”

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