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

In a statement issued on Tuesday, August 18, the ministry said what it called Israeli attacks since the fall of the former Syrian regime have once again exposed attempts by the “Israeli occupation” to undermine the Syrian government’s efforts and drag the region toward further tension and instability.

The ministry said this comes as Damascus exercises restraint, works to consolidate stability, and seeks to 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 described as “aggression” and take a clear position on “Israel’s repeated violations.”

The ministry said Syria would continue to defend its rights and national interests through legitimate means guaranteed by international laws and norms.

US Envoy Comments

For his part, US Special Envoy to Syria and Iraq Thomas Barrack described the targeting of Abu al-Duhur Airbase as an unnecessary escalation that does not contribute to regional stability.

Barrack said in a post on X that the Syrian government had not adopted an aggressive posture or maintained proxy forces, noting that it preferred de-escalation with Israel.

He said the United States had hosted talks in the past and would continue to do so to encourage both countries to pursue diplomacy rather than military action.

Washington believes restraint and engagement offer the most constructive path, Barrack said, calling on all parties to prioritize rational discourse over further military incidents.

What Are the Details of the Strike?

Israeli warplanes targeted Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in the eastern Idlib countryside without causing any injuries.

“Abu Amin 80,” an observatory specializing in monitoring aircraft movements and strikes in northwestern Syria, said two warplanes carried out four strikes on the runway at Abu al-Duhur Airbase at 2:50 a.m. on Tuesday. No casualties were recorded, and the damage was limited to material losses.

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.

Aircraft activity extended from the area above Abu al-Duhur Airbase to the cities of Saraqib, Binnish, and Taftanaz, all in Idlib Governorate, according to Abu Amin 80.

Israeli drones remained in Syrian airspace for approximately one hour after the strikes before leaving, according to the observatory.

Separately, a correspondent for the official al-Ikhbariya channel cited an unnamed military source as saying Israeli aircraft targeted the runway at Abu al-Duhur Airbase in eight strikes.

The source said the “attack” caused material damage to the airbase’s infrastructure without causing any injuries.

Abu al-Duhur is considered the second-largest airbase 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 airbase is 50 kilometers from Idlib city, 50 kilometers from Aleppo city, 36 kilometers from Khanasir in Aleppo Governorate, 30 kilometers from Saraqib, and 37 kilometers from Wadi al-Deif in Idlib Governorate. It covers an area of approximately eight square kilometers.

Syrian, Israeli Defense Ministries Have Not Commented

At the time of writing, neither the Syrian nor Israeli defense ministries had commented on the strike, while Israeli media reported that the Israeli military had declined to comment.

Syrian military facilities, particularly airbases and air defense systems, have been repeatedly targeted by Israel since the first moments following the fall of the former regime on December 8, 2024, under the pretext of protecting its national security.

The strike comes as the Syrian Ministry of Defense works to develop the degraded air force it inherited from the former regime.

Military expert Colonel Khaled al-Mutlaq previously told Enab Baladi that regardless of the efforts made over the next three to five years, Syria would not be able to match the air power of countries in the region and the Middle East, particularly Israel, which has an advanced air force that relies on technology and artificial intelligence.

Syria’s air defense sector and air force face several challenges, including the quality of available weapons, a shortage of early warning systems and surface-to-air missile platforms, the poor condition of military aircraft currently available to the army, a lack of spare parts, and their inability to keep pace with the advanced aircraft possessed by regional countries such as Turkey and Israel, according to Lawrence al-Shamali, a researcher at the Syrian Center for Security and Defense Studies (MISDAD), in a previous interview with Enab Baladi.

Al-Shamali also told Enab Baladi that the development of Israel’s air defense systems poses a major challenge to Syria’s air force, as these systems limit its ability to conduct offensive operations.