Eight Israeli airstrikes hit Abu al-Duhur Airbase in Syria on Tuesday, and the United States publicly called the attack an airstrike that amounted to an unnecessary escalation. Syrian state TV reported no injuries after the strikes, which struck the runway and a storage facility at the base.
Tom Barrack, the United States ambassador in Turkey and special envoy for Syria and Iraq, posted on X: “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 also said Ahmed al-Sharaa has neither adopted nor maintained proxy forces and has repeatedly indicated a preference for de-escalation with Israel.
Abu Duhur and the Turkish border
Abu Duhur Airbase sits about 70km from the Turkish border and has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013. Rebel forces seized control of the base in December 2024, and Israel has carried out airstrikes on parts of central and southern Syria since Ahmed al-Sharaa came to power. The latest strikes were described as the most significant since March.
That timeline explains why the site remains sensitive. Syria has been trying to rebuild military facilities damaged during the offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's government within two weeks, while the Turkish military has provided assistance to Syria since the overthrow of Assad.
Israel, Syria and Turkey
Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Syria was on the verge of breaching a status quo in security matters by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo. Israel said Syria and Turkey were implicated in the dispute, while Turkey rejected Israel's suggestion that the airbase posed a threat.
Syria's foreign ministry called the attacks an unjustified act of aggression imperilling regional security and stability. Turkey, through its Communications Directorate, said the allegations by Benjamin Netanyahu's office aimed to legitimize Israel's unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
United States offers talks
The United States said it would continue to offer to host diplomatic discussions between both sides to address kinetic frustrations. For anyone watching the airbase, that leaves the operational picture unchanged for now: the runway and storage facility were hit, no injuries were reported, and the political dispute has moved into a public exchange among the United States, Israel, Syria and Turkey.
