US Special Envoy to Syria and Iraq Thomas Barrack said the United States is working on a mechanism to prevent clashes among Turkey, Israel, and Syria, after Israel struck a Syrian air base near the Turkish border.

Israeli warplanes targeted the Abu al-Duhur military airport in the eastern Idlib countryside (northwestern Syria) on Tuesday, Aug. 18, causing no injuries.

Barrack told Reuters on Tuesday evening that the Israeli strikes on the Syrian air base reflected a “perception,” whether accurate or mistaken, that Turkey might increase its presence at the base in the near future.

He said this underscores the need for a conflict resolution mechanism involving Israel, Syria, and Turkey, adding that Washington is working seriously on such a mechanism to prevent future misunderstandings.

Barrack said the priority now is to ease tensions and create space for a more balanced approach.

He added that an incident of this kind demonstrates the need to intensify these efforts and broaden the process, noting that the United States is already facilitating a mechanism for information sharing and dialogue among the parties.

Barrack confirmed that Turkey had not been warned about the Israeli strikes in Syria and had “tracked the aircraft as they headed north toward its territory, and therefore could reasonably have prepared its own response.”

He added that, “fortunately,” cooler heads had managed to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.

Barrack had earlier described the targeting of Abu al-Duhur airport as an unnecessary escalation that does not contribute to regional stability.

In a post on X, Barrack said the Syrian government had not adopted an aggressive position and did not maintain proxy forces, noting that it preferred de-escalation with Israel.

He said the United States had previously hosted talks, and would continue to do so, to encourage the two countries to pursue diplomacy instead of military action.

Washington believes restraint and engagement offer the most constructive path, according to Barrack, who called on all parties to prioritize reasoned dialogue over further military incidents.

Syria and Israel have held several rounds of talks aimed at de-escalation and reaching a security agreement, but no solution has been reached.

What Are the Details of the Strike?

The “Abu Amin 80” observatory, which specializes in monitoring aircraft movements and strikes in northwestern Syria, said two warplanes carried out four strikes on the runway of Abu al-Duhur airport at 2:50 a.m. on Tuesday. No casualties were recorded, and the strikes caused only material damage.

The observatory told Enab Baladi that Israeli Hermes 900 and Skylark drones continued flying over Idlib governorate from 10:30 p.m. until 2 a.m.

According to Abu Amin 80, the aircraft activity extended from above Abu al-Duhur airport to the cities of Saraqib, Binnish, and Taftanaz.

Israeli drones remained over Syrian airspace for about an hour after the strikes before departing, according to the observatory.

Meanwhile, a correspondent for the official al-Ikhbariya channel cited an unnamed military source as saying that Israeli aircraft targeted the runway at Abu al-Duhur airport with eight strikes.

The correspondent said the “attack” caused material damage to the airport’s infrastructure but resulted in no injuries.

Abu al-Duhur is considered the second-largest airport in the Idlib countryside, but it went out of service during the early stages of fighting between the former Syrian regime and opposition factions.

The airport is 50 kilometers from Idlib city, 50 kilometers from Aleppo city, 36 kilometers from the Khanasir area, 30 kilometers from Saraqib, and 37 kilometers from Wadi al-Deif. It covers an area of approximately eight square kilometers.

Foreign Ministry Condemns Strike

The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned Israel’s targeting of the Abu al-Duhur military airport in Idlib governorate, northwestern Syria, describing it as “a blatant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region.”

In a statement on Tuesday, the ministry said what it called Israeli attacks since the fall of the former Syrian regime again demonstrated attempts by the “Israeli occupation” to undermine the Syrian government’s efforts and push the region toward further tension and instability.

The ministry said the strikes came as Damascus remained committed to restraint and was working to consolidate stability and avoid escalation.

Damascus held the Israeli occupation responsible for the escalation and called on the international community and the UN Security Council to clearly condemn what it called the “aggression” and take a clear position toward repeated “Israeli violations,” according to the ministry.

The Foreign Ministry said Syria would continue defending its rights and national interests through legitimate means guaranteed under international laws and norms.

Syrian military units, particularly airports and air defense systems, have repeatedly been targeted by Israel since the first moments following the fall of the former regime on Dec. 8, 2024, with Israel citing the protection of its national security.

The latest strike comes as the Syrian Defense Ministry works to develop the country’s deteriorated air force, which it inherited from the former regime.