The latest:
Runways and storage facilities at Abu al-Duhur military airport in eastern rural Idlib were hit overnight by four unidentified aircraft, Syrian military sources told Reuters. Damascus blamed Israel and demanded a Security Council condemnation. US envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack said he was deeply concerned by what he described as confirmed Israeli strikes, calling them an unnecessary escalation.
Details:
- The strike: Syrian military sources told Reuters four unidentified aircraft hit the base’s runways and storage facilities. One source and a nearby resident said there were no casualties. Al Jazeera’s correspondent reported four strikes on the runway, roughly 70 kilometers from the Turkish border, and said Syrian authorities issued no immediate official response.
- Barrack’s rebuke: The US envoy wrote on X that the strikes constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability. He said Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government has not adopted an aggressive posture nor maintained proxy forces, and has repeatedly signaled a preference for de-escalation with Israel.
- Washington’s position: Barrack added that the United States still believes restraint and diplomatic engagement are the most constructive path, and encouraged all parties to prioritize rational dialogue over further military incidents. He also referenced building de-escalation arrangements through continuous dialogue with all concerned states and parties.
- The Israeli reply: A senior Israeli official told Fox News that highly sensitive intelligence was shared with the United States in advance, at the highest levels of various agencies and bodies. The official said al-Sharaa understands he cannot operate as the former Syrian regime did, and possibly did not understand or know what was happening.
- Conflicting accounts: The same official implicitly acknowledged Israeli responsibility, while other Israeli sources rejected responsibility and insisted Israel was not involved, according to The Jerusalem Post. The official declined to give Fox News further details, citing the highly classified nature of the intelligence.
- Damascus statement: Syria’s foreign ministry condemned the raids in the strongest terms as unjustified aggression, a flagrant violation of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a dangerous escalation. It said the strikes reflect attempts to undermine Syrian efforts and drag the region toward greater instability, and called on the Security Council to act.
- Joint appearance: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani condemned the strikes alongside IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi at a joint press conference, calling them an unjustified provocation and a direct threat to regional and international stability, and demanding an immediate halt to Israeli violations.
- The Turkish angle: Sources cited by Qatar’s Al-Araby Al-Jadeed said the raids followed a visit by a Turkish military delegation to rehabilitate the runway. Israel seeks to block Turkish entrenchment in Syria and has previously carried out strikes it said were meant to prevent Ankara from helping build the new government’s air force.
- Earlier exchange: At an August 6 press conference with al-Shaibani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan called Israeli attacks among the biggest threats to Syria’s stability. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar responded that Turkey occupies 5% of Syria while Israel holds one-tenth of 1% as a protective buffer zone.
- Northern border incident: Six Thai foreign workers were wounded Tuesday morning when old ordnance exploded in an open area near Metula, two of them seriously.
Background:
Abu al-Duhur sits about 27 kilometers east of Saraqib, between Idlib, Hama and Aleppo provinces. Opposition forces took it in 2015, pro-Assad forces recaptured it in January 2018 with Russian backing, and the opposition seized it again in November 2024 during the offensive that toppled Assad.
Between the lines:
The gap is public: Barrack described the raids as confirmed Israeli strikes, while the Israeli military stayed silent and some Israeli sources denied involvement. A senior official’s Fox News account of pre-shared intelligence effectively concedes authorship and shifts the argument from whether Israel struck to whether Washington was warned.
What’s next
Whether Israel’s military comments publicly, whether the Security Council takes up Syria’s request, and whether damage assessments or casualty reports emerge from Abu al-Duhur.
