Scrambling for position ---rebels in northern Syria launched rockets at a military base as both sides battle for control in this latest video posted to a social media website whose content Reuters cannot independently verify.

The fighting comes a day after President Bashar al Assad delivered a critical speech --- his first in almost seven months.

Safwan Okashah, a member of Syrian opposition dismissed Assad's speech.

SOUNDBITE: Safwan Okashah, Syrian Opposition activist, and Member of the National Coordination Body saying:

"There will not be an international agreement on such an initiative because it does not respond to the inspirations of Syrian people and because it does not form a realistic base to resolve the problem in Syria. The international agreement will be on an initiative that will take us to the solution and not complicate the current situation."

Since his (Assad) last address, rebels have made critical advances in the north and in the east and are moving in on the capital where Assad is entrenched.

Tension on the border is also high. U.S. cargo planes carrying parts of patriot missiles began arriving in neighboring Turkey on Monday --to help bolster security as the civil war inside Syria threatens to spill out of the country.