US Issues Rare Condemnation Of Israeli Strikes On Syrian Airbase: 'Unnecessary Escalation'
A top regional Trump envoy has said the US is "deeply concerned" after major new Israeli airstrikes on Syria overnight, following months of an absence of such attacks, and in the context of the broader Iran conflict.
The Syrian government and US Envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack said the attacks hit Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Idlib province in northwestern Syria. Barrack blasted it as an unnecessary escalation that threatens regional stability.
Additionally the Syrian Foreign Ministry of the new Sharaa/Jolani government blasted the "unjustified act of aggression" and "flagrant violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity."
While the Israeli government has not officially owned up to the operation, or provided any details, an unnamed senior Israeli told Fox News that "Highly sensitive intelligence was shared with the United States in advance, at the most senior levels of the various agencies and bodies."
"Al-Sharaa understands that he cannot operate like the previous Syrian regime, which maintained proxy forces. It's possible that he didn’t understand what was going on, or didn't know." Fox added that the official could not provide additional details "due to the highly classified nature of the intelligence."
The statement is odd given its suggestion is that Iran-linked forces were still operating inside Syria (based on the reference to the "previous Syrian regime" and its proxy forces).
However, Idlib had throughout the entirety of the war been a hotbed of Sunni al-Qaeda linked activity. The post-Assad ruling faction in Damascus previously had the northwest province as its very headquarters, where Jolani got his start commanding Nusra Front which morphed into Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham.
The idea that Iran-linked militias would somehow be operating there 19 months after Assad's exit in December 2024 is strange and unlikely.
But ultimately it remains unclear why Israel conducted the strikes, and what the precise high level target may have been.
Amb. Barrack added to his statement: "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."
Secondary explosions reported and filmed at the airbase location...
The site that was struck by Israel, the Abu Al Duhur military base in Idlib continues to burn and reports of secondary explosions are being reported.
— Scharo Bajalan (@ScharoBajalan) August 18, 2026
Syria claims that the runway was struck only but runways don’t burn nor explode hours after the initial bombardment.
Something… https://t.co/pJVQNbJufE pic.twitter.com/oWVsVrtEpl
Things in Syria have been mostly quiet of late; however, there's still a sporadic conflict in the south, where Israeli troops occupy territory significantly beyond even the Golan Heights.
At the same time, Israel is sure to be alarmed by a fresh statement out of Syria's foreign ministry saying it aims to keep nuclear material that was already in the country in its custody, subject to IAEA monitoring and guarantees.