“Highly sensitive intelligence was shared with the United States at the highest levels in advance,” the official said.
By United with Israel Staff
Israeli fighter jets reportedly struck the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in northwestern Syria early Tuesday morning, damaging its runway and other infrastructure shortly after a Turkish military delegation visited the facility.
Syrian state television attributed the attack to Israel, citing a military source who said the strikes caused material damage but no casualties.
According to the Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, Israeli fighter jets carried out the attack at approximately 2:50 a.m., targeting the airbase runway.
The outlet reported that the strikes came after a Turkish military delegation visited Abu al-Duhur on Monday afternoon to oversee efforts to rehabilitate its runway, amid Israeli concerns over Ankara’s expanding military presence in Syria and the rebuilding of Syrian military capabilities.
While Israel has not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, a senior Israeli official told Fox News that Washington had been informed beforehand.
“Highly sensitive intelligence was shared with the United States at the highest levels in advance,” the official said, according to Fox News.
The official also delivered a warning regarding Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying he “understands that he will not be able to operate like the previous Syrian regime.”
The comments came after U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack publicly criticized the strikes.
“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.
Barrack defended the al-Sharaa government, saying it had “neither adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces” and had repeatedly demonstrated a preference for de-escalation with Israel.
He said Washington would continue facilitating discussions and urged the sides to favor diplomacy over further military action.
“The United States continues to believe that restraint and engagement offer the more constructive course,” Barrack said.
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
Syria’s Foreign Ministry also condemned the attack Tuesday, calling it an “unjustified act of aggression” and a “flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Damascus accused Israel of seeking to undermine efforts to stabilize the country and called on the international community and UN Security Council to condemn the strikes.
The reported Turkish activity at Abu al-Duhur comes amid Israeli concerns over Ankara’s growing military footprint in Syria and the possibility that Turkey could help rebuild Syrian military capabilities or deploy air-defense systems that could restrict Israel’s freedom of action.
The Israeli official’s assertion that sensitive intelligence was provided to Washington beforehand also suggests a gap between the public U.S. criticism of the strike and the high-level coordination that preceded it.