Key Highlights

  • Israel carried out eight air strikes on the Abu al-Duhur military air base in northwestern Syria, damaging the runway and storage facilities without causing casualties
  • The base sits roughly 70 kilometers from the Turkish border and had recently been visited by a Turkish delegation as part of rehabilitation plans
  • The US and Turkey both condemned the strikes as an unnecessary escalation that threatens regional stability
  • Israel has carried out repeated strikes in Syria since the fall of the Assad government in December 2024, wary of expanding Turkish military influence in the country

Strikes Hit Runway and Storage Facilities in Idlib Province

Eight Israeli air strikes hit the Abu al-Duhur military air base in northwestern Syria's Idlib province early Tuesday, damaging the runway and storage facilities but causing no casualties, according to Syrian state media. The base lies about 70 kilometers from the Turkish border and had ceased operating as an active military airfield during Syria's civil war, a conflict that killed half a million people.

Damascus and Ankara strongly condemned the strikes as a violation of Syrian sovereignty. The Israeli military did not comment on the attack.

US Envoy Calls Strikes an Unnecessary Escalation

The US ambassador to Turkey and presidential envoy for Syria criticized the strikes, saying Washington was deeply concerned that what he described as confirmed Israeli air strikes amounted to an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability. He said Syria's transitional government had neither adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces, and had repeatedly signaled a preference for de-escalation with Israel.

Turkey's foreign ministry said the strikes violated Syria's territorial integrity and unity, adding that Israel needed to be held accountable for actions that disregard international law. A UK-based war monitoring group reported that Turkey had been rehabilitating the base and that a Turkish delegation had visited it shortly before the attack. The monitor also said Turkish forces had been installing radar systems along Syria's Mediterranean coast, part of a broader effort to help rebuild the country's air defenses.

Israel Wary of Expanding Turkish Presence in Syrian Airspace

Israel has sought to prevent an expanded Turkish military footprint in Syria, particularly air defense systems that could limit its freedom to operate in Syrian airspace. Israel and Turkey established a deconfliction mechanism last year to help avoid unintended clashes between their forces.

Israel has launched a series of strikes across Syria since the Assad government fell in December 2024, aiming to destroy military Assets it says could otherwise be used by the new authorities, while also establishing a buffer zone adjoining the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. It has also struck southern Syria in what it described as support for the local Druze population, most recently in March, though the latest strike targeted a site near Turkey's border rather than the south.

The attack came as Damascus works to rebuild military capabilities lost after Assad's fall, holding its first air exercises this month using older Russian-made fighter jets. Syria's new authorities have said they do not seek conflict with Israel, though Israeli officials remain wary of a government led by former insurgents.