US Slams Alleged Israeli Strike on Syrian Airbase

“The United States continues to believe that restraint and engagement offer the more constructive course,” Barrack 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 just hours 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 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 the runway, amid growing Israeli concerns over Turkey’s expanding military presence in Syria.

The IDF has not publicly commented on the strike.

Hours later, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack publicly criticized Israel over the attack.

“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 government of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, saying it had not adopted an aggressive posture or maintained proxy forces and had repeatedly indicated that it preferred de-escalation with Israel.

He said Washington would continue hosting discussions between the sides and argued that sustained diplomacy, rather than additional military action, offered the best path toward stability.

“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

The reported Turkish activity at the airbase comes amid Israeli concerns about Ankara’s growing military footprint in Syria and the possibility that Turkey could assist in rebuilding Syrian military capabilities or deploy air-defense systems that could restrict Israel’s freedom of action.

Israel has repeatedly acted in Syria to prevent military capabilities from developing into threats against the Jewish state, while tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara over their competing interests in Syria have grown since the fall of the Assad regime.