Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian airbase, US envoy concerned over escalation

[Right_in_Virginia]

Israeli airstrikes hit Syrian airbase, US envoy concerned over escalation
Reuters, Aug 18, 2026

DAMASCUS/ANKARA, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Israel bombed an airbase in ​Syria on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, carrying out what appeared to be its first strike on Syrian government assets since March and ‌drawing criticism from a U.S. envoy who called it an "unnecessary escalation".

Syria's state-run Ekhbariya, citing a military source, said Israel carried out eight airstrikes targeting the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base, while a separate military source and a civilian who lives near the base said there were no casualties. The Israeli military declined to comment on the strikes while the Syrian defence ministry did ​not respond.

"We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability," Ambassador ​Tom Barrack, the U.S. special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq, said on X.

"The United States continues to believe that restraint and ⁠engagement offer the more constructive course. We encourage all parties to prioritize logical discourse over further military incidents," he added.

The base, about 70 km (43.5 miles) from the Turkish ​border, has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013 and changed hands several times during Syria’s 14-year civil war between forces loyal to former President ​Bashar al-Assad and opposition factions.

The strikes follow a heightening of security tensions between Israel and Turkey and increasingly sharp rhetoric between the two countries over Syria.

Ankara has accused Israel ‌of trying ⁠to destabilise Syria and undermine its new administration. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on August 6 that Israel continued to threaten Syria’s security through its repeated attacks, calling for international pressure on Israel to respect Syria’s territorial integrity.


More:  https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/eight-israeli-airstrikes-hit-syrias-abu-al-duhur-airbase-no-casualties-state-tv-2026-08-18/

[Right_in_Virginia]

US envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said that the Israeli strike on Syria was an “unnecessary escalation” and does not advance "regional stability”. He claimed that Syrian leader President Ahmad al-Sharaa has neither “adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces” and has expressed willingness for de-escalation with Israel.

Early Tuesday, an Israeli aircraft carried out eight airstrikes targeting the runway of Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in the eastern countryside of Idlib in northern Syria. The strikes caused material damage to the structures at the airbase, but did not result in any casualties.

There had been no official statement from Israel on the attack. US President Donald Trump has previously praised Syrian interim President Ahmed Al-Sharra over the dramatic transformation. He called him a "great leader" who has done an "amazing job of pulling the country together" since the fall of the Assad regime. During the G7 summit, Trump suggested that Israel let Syria take care of Hezbollah; he thinks they'd do a better job of doing it.

The base, about 70 km from the Turkish border, has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013 and changed hands several times during Syria’s 14-year civil war between forces loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad and opposition factions. Since Assad was ousted, the base has been used as a training centre for Syria’s new army, Reuters reported, citing military sources.

Earlier in August, in an overnight briefing with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had warned that Israel will not tolerate steps by Turkey or Damascus to rebuild a Syrian air force.

https://www.wionews.com/world/us-envoy-israeli-strikes-syria-unnecessary-escalation-1787057317385