Israel Carries Out Airstrikes on Abandoned Military Airfield in Syria’s Idlib, US Envoy Confirms

DAMASCUS (Terror Monitor) — Israel carried out four airstrikes on the abandoned Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province early Tuesday, according to Syria’s Foreign Ministry and U.S. Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack.

A Syrian security source initially said an unidentified aircraft struck the airfield four times in the early hours of August 18. The source said it was not immediately clear whether anyone was killed or injured in the strikes.

The source also said it was initially unclear whether the attacks were carried out by a warplane or an armed drone, as the aircraft involved had not been identified.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry later accused Israel of carrying out the strikes, describing them as a “blatant violation” of Syria’s sovereignty and condemning the attacks.

The ministry said the airfield has not been used by the Syrian military since 2012, although a significant number of forces affiliated with Syria’s Defence Ministry remain deployed there to secure the facility.

The Abu al-Duhur military airfield suffered extensive damage during Syria’s prolonged civil war and has remained largely out of operational use since then.

While Israel did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the Syrian government’s allegations, Tom Barrack, the U.S. special envoy to Syria, later confirmed that Israel was responsible for the strikes.

In a statement posted on X, Barrack said the attacks on the Abu al-Duhur military airfield were “confirmed” to have been carried out by Israel and described them as an “entirely unnecessary” attempt to escalate the situation.

He warned that such provocative actions would not help improve the security situation in the region.

The strikes came amid continuing tensions surrounding Syria’s security environment following the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad. Israel has carried out repeated airstrikes in different parts of Syria since Assad’s ouster, citing security concerns and the need to prevent potential threats from emerging in the country.

The authorities in Damascus have generally responded cautiously to Israeli military operations, seeking to avoid further escalation and additional security risks in a country still attempting to recover from years of civil war.

No group other than the Syrian government has initially reported casualties from Tuesday’s strikes, and details of the damage caused at the airfield remain unclear.