Israel admits strike on Syria: what threat did it see there
Israel confirmed a strike on the Syrian airbase Abu al-Duhur in Idlib, explaining it by Damascus's permission for Turkish troops to deploy. Netanyahu's office said the status quo was violated. Turkey and Syria condemned the attack, and the US ambassador warned of escalation. Sources say there were no casualties, but runways were damaged.
Israel officially confirmed that on the night of August 18 it struck the military airfield Abu al-Duhur in Idlib province in northwestern Syria, about 60 kilometers from the Syrian-Turkish border. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office issued a statement explaining the attack by saying Damascus had allowed Turkish troops to be stationed at the base, which Israel believed violated the agreed security status quo. The statement stressed that Israel had repeatedly warned Syria of the consequences of such a step. Turkey's Foreign Ministry condemned the strike, calling on the international community to stop the escalation. US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack expressed concern, saying the attack could strengthen the Turkish presence in the region. Syrian military sources reported that four unidentified aircraft attacked the airfield, damaging runways and storage facilities, with no casualties. This is Israel's first strike on Syrian government targets since March. Analyst Ron Ben-Yishai links the attack to an attempt to draw a "red line" before Turkey, as in April 2025, when Israel bombed the same airfield to prevent the establishment of Turkish troops and the deployment of air defense systems that would limit the freedom of action of the Israeli Air Force.