A Syrian military official accused Israel on Syrian television Tuesday, stating that fighter jets carried out strikes against the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Idlib.
According to the Syrian official, Air Force fighter jets struck a runway and abandoned warehouses. The official further noted that there were no casualties and that the damage was strictly material. Subsequently, a Syrian military official told the Al-Araby channel that the Israeli strike overnight Tuesday at the airfield in Idlib occurred one day after a visit by a Turkish military delegation to the area.
According to Syrian sources, the Turkish delegation arrived following plans to rehabilitate the airfield and turn it into a joint base for Syrian and Turkish forces.
We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.
The Al-Sharra government has neither adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces. It has, in fact,…
— Ambassador Tom Barrack (@USAMBTurkiye) August 18, 2026
The Syrian Foreign Ministry officially accused Israel of the strikes against the military airfield in the Idlib province. The Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the strikes, calling them "unjustified aggression and a flagrant violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity." Officials in Damascus further warned that this constitutes "a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region."
The US also criticized the strike. US Ambassador to Turkey and American Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, said Washington is "deeply concerned" about the Israeli strikes at the Abu al-Duhur airfield, which he called "unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability."
Reports from Syria: The Abu Al Duhur military base in Idlib, reportedly struck by Israel, is still burning with secondary explosions reported hours later. pic.twitter.com/JTjQLr61fv
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) August 18, 2026
According to Barrack, the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa has not adopted an aggressive approach nor deployed proxy forces, and has even repeatedly expressed a desire to de-escalate tensions with Israel. He added that the US will continue to promote talks between the parties and called for prioritizing restraint and dialogue over further military incidents.
