By Mark KobaMarkKobaSenior Editor, CNBC.comMark Koba is a Senior Editor at CNBC.com. His experience includes 11 years at Bloomberg LP where among various duties—he was program producer for the award winning Bloomberg Small Business Television show. Mark’s background includes a decade of news writing and show producing at CNN, E! Entertainment Television, ABC’s World News Now, GMA and the CBS Morning Show. He's been writing on economic topics the last two years.

Syria's defense minister and President Bashar Assad’s brother-in-law were killed in a Damascus bomb attack Wednesday, state TV reported. It appears to be the most serious blow to Assad’s regime in the country's 16-month-old rebellion. However no footage of the attack has emerged yet.

How significant is the attack? What does it mean for the future Assad regime? Or the Syrian military?

NBC News’ Ayman Mohyeldin answered reader questions about the significance of the attack earlier today. Click on the link below to replay the informative chat.

Bomb kills Syrian ministers at heart of Assad rule

Mark KobaMarkKobaSenior Editor, CNBC.comMark Koba is a Senior Editor at CNBC.com. His experience includes 11 years at Bloomberg LP where among various duties—he was program producer for the award winning Bloomberg Small Business Television show. Mark’s background includes a decade of news writing and show producing at CNN, E! Entertainment Television, ABC’s World News Now, GMA and the CBS Morning Show. He's been writing on economic topics the last two years.