US envoy Tom Barrack and Syrian officials criticized airstrikes Tuesday on a military air base in eastern Idlib province that have been attributed to Israel, although no evidence has publicly established Israeli responsibility for the attack.
Abu al-Duhur Airbase was hit by four airstrikes early Tuesday, August 18, targeting its runway and storage facilities. Sources told The Media Line they believe Israel may have carried out the strikes but provided no evidence confirming the identity of the aircraft involved.
Israel has not claimed responsibility, and no official Syrian statement has identified who conducted the attack.
Barrack, the US special presidential envoy for Syria and Iraq, described the strikes as an escalation and attributed them to Israel.
“We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability,” Ambassador Tom Barrack said on X.
“The United States continues to believe that restraint and engagement offer the more constructive course. We encourage all parties to prioritize logical discourse over further military incidents,” he added.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani also called for an end to the attacks. He said Israel should reconsider its approach toward Syria, arguing that its strikes put it at odds not only with Damascus but also with Syria’s allies.
Abu al-Duhur is located about 70 km (43.5 miles) from the Turkish border. The facility has not operated 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 Assad and opposition factions.
Israel has carried out strikes against Syrian forces on several occasions since Assad was ousted in 2024. Those attacks have largely targeted government sites in southern and central Syria, with the most recent occurring in March.
Despite Barrack’s characterization of Tuesday’s attack as Israeli, responsibility for the four strikes on Abu al-Duhur has not been independently established, and Israel has made no public statement claiming the operation.