Syria condemns Israeli strikes on airbase as ‘flagrant violation’ of sovereignty

US envoy to Syria says Washington 'deeply concerned' over airstrikes, describing them as 'unnecessary escalation'

Syria on Tuesday strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes targeting Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in the eastern countryside of Idlib province as a “flagrant violation” of the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry called the attack “an unjustified act of aggression, a flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region.”

“The continuation of these Israeli attacks since December 8, 2024, at a time when Syria has exercised restraint and worked to consolidate stability and avoid escalation, once again demonstrates the Israeli occupation’s attempts to undermine these efforts and drag the region toward further tension and instability,” the ministry said.

📍 Israeli warplanes carry out four airstrikes on the abandoned Abu al-Duhur military airport in Syria’s Idlib province

💢 No immediate information is available on casualties or damage https://t.co/5P8c7Pq4mb pic.twitter.com/RSVLzOZsv3

— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) August 18, 2026

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 early Tuesday, causing material damage to the airbase’s infrastructure, without causing casualties, according to Al-Ikhbariyya TV.

Israeli warplanes carried out four airstrikes on the abandoned Abu al-Duhur military airport in the eastern countryside of Idlib province in northern Syria at around 3 am local time (0000GMT).

Following the fall of the Assad regime, Israel expanded its attacks across Syria, targeting weapons and missile depots as well as strategic military sites.

Earlier, Israel carried out attacks in Syria targeting Iranian forces and Hezbollah positions.

US envoy says Washington ‘deeply concerned’ over Israeli airstrikes on Syrian airbase

US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said on Tuesday that Washington is “deeply concerned” over the Israeli airstrikes, describing the attack as an “unnecessary escalation.”

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

“We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability,” Barrack said on US social media platform X.

“The [Ahmad] Al-Sharra government has neither adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces. It has, in fact, repeatedly indicated a preference for de-escalation with Israel,” he said.

“The United States has in the past, and will continue in the future, to host discussions to encourage diplomatic cadence over kinetic frustration for both nations,” added Barrack, who is also the US ambassador to Turkiye.