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

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 3am local time (0000GMT). The base, about 70 km (43.5 miles) from the Turkish border, has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013 and changed hands several times during Syria’s 14-year civil war between forces loyal to former President Bashar al-Assad and opposition factions. Israel has repeatedly struck Syrian forces, targeting weapons and missile depots as well as strategic military sites, since Assad was ousted in 2024. It has so far attacked mostly government sites in southern and central Syria, most recently in March. After Assad was toppled, Israel seized territory in southwest Syria and struck much of the Syrian army's heavy weapons and equipment and also ‌launched attacks ⁠in the name of protecting Syria's Druze minority, notably during violence between Druze and government fighters last year. Israel also regularly bombed Syria when Assad was in power, aiming to roll back Iranian and Hezbollah influence in the country. 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. Ankara insists Israel is trying to destabilise Syria The strikes follow a heightening of security tensions between Israel and Turkey and increasingly sharp rhetoric between the two countries over Syria. Ankara has accused Israel of trying to destabilise Syria and undermine its new administration. Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on August 6 that Israel continued to threaten Syria’s security through its repeated attacks, calling for international pressure on Israel to respect Syria’s territorial integrity. Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest ​army and recently signed a defence pact with Pakistan and ​Saudi Arabia, has become one of ⁠Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's main allies. It has been training Syria's army, helping it rebuild its state institutions and infrastructure, and providing it military and diplomatic support. The Turkish Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the attacks, which it said violated Syria's territorial unity and integrity. "We call on the international community to take a more ​decisive stance to end Israel's escalating aggression against Syria," it said in a statement. Read: Trump 'very happy' over signing of Makkah Joint Defence Agreement It was not immediately clear whether Turkey was involved in renovating ​the base, but Ankara has ⁠said it was helping Damascus across the country. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz has issued direct warnings to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, saying Israel would not allow steps that strengthened Syria’s military capabilities in ways that could pose a threat to Israel. Last year, Turkey and Israel established a line of communication to avoid any incidents in Syria, where both of their militaries are active. Syria conducted air exercises in the north of the country in ⁠early August using ​Russian-made MiG-21 fighter jets, the first such exercises since Assad’s ousting. Israel’s Kan public broadcaster reported on August 11 that security officials ​had detected signs of Syria accelerating efforts to rebuild its air force, including the recruitment of new pilots, flight training and a first exercise involving fighter aircraft. Kan quoted a security source as saying Israel had shared its concerns with the United States.