Particle.news
Download on the App Store
65 ARTICLES
·
49m ago

Israel Confirms Airstrikes on Abu al‑Duhur Airbase, Damaging Runway but Causing No Reported Casualties

The strikes, which Israel says halted a planned Turkish deployment, have drawn sharp regional condemnation and prompted U.S. efforts to set up a military de‑confliction channel to avert escalation.

Abu al-Duhur airbase following strikes, Syria, August 18, 2026. Eight Israeli airstrikes hit an airbase in northwestern Syria early on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, in what the U.S. envoy for the region called an "unnecessary escalation." The Israeli military declined to comment on the strikes while the Syrian defense ministry did not respond. REUTERS/Stringer
A member of Syrian government forces stands guard at the Abu Duhur military air base area in Idlib province in 2018
FILE - Decommissioned Syrian air force planes are seen at the Abu Duhur military air base east of Idlib, following the takeover of the area by Syrian opposition fighters on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024. (AP Photo/Omar Albam, File)
Image

Overview

  • Israeli aircraft struck the Abu al‑Duhur military airbase in Idlib province, damaging the runway and storage facilities without reported injuries, in strikes that multiple outlets reported on Tuesday.
  • Israel publicly acknowledged the operation and said it acted to stop what it called a breach of a security status quo by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the site.
  • Syria, Türkiye, the UAE and other regional governments condemned the strikes as violations of Syrian sovereignty, while Turkish officials have denied confirming any Turkish troop deployment at the base.
  • U.S. envoy Tom Barrack called the attacks an "unnecessary escalation," said they risked a clash between Israel and Türkiye, and said Washington is pushing to establish a de‑confliction mechanism between Israel, Türkiye and Syria.
  • The base, unused as a full airfield since about 2013 and recently used for training as Syria rebuilds its forces, sits roughly 60–70 km from the Turkish border and the strike raises the risk that competing security moves in northern Syria will prompt further military or diplomatic fallout.