Defense establishment remains silent, senior US official publicly blames Israel for overnight strike in Syria
Tom Barrack, the US envoy to Syria, claims that Israel bombed the runway at the Abu al-Duhur base last night, located just 70 km from Turkey. Israel maintains silence and claims it is not involved in the event. The Syrian Foreign Minister stated that nuclear material will remain under Syrian control, subject to IAEA guarantees. An Israeli source told Fox News that sensitive intelligence was shared with the Americans at the highest levels.
Trump's envoy to Syria has blamed Israel for an attack on an airport in Idlib province. Envoy Tom Barrack stated: "These attacks constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not contribute to regional stability." Fighter jets bombed the runway at the Abu al-Duhur military airport last night. Israel has not accepted responsibility for the attack and claims it is not involved. The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned the action, calling it a dangerous escalation.
The airstrike occurred overnight between Monday and Tuesday at the Abu al-Duhur military airport in northwestern Syria. The site, located about 70 kilometers from the Turkish border, is considered a strategic point connecting various parts of the country. While reports in Syria attribute the action to Israel, Israel does not take responsibility for the event and maintains that it is not involved in the attack.
Hours after the strike, the Syrian Foreign Minister claimed that nuclear material would remain in Syria's possession, subject to IAEA guarantees. An Israeli source told Fox News that sensitive intelligence was shared with the Americans, reaching the highest levels. According to the source, Al-Sharra understands that he cannot behave like the previous regime, though he may not have been aware of the specific events.
US envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, released a statement publicly blaming Israel for carrying out the attack:
"We are deeply concerned that the Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur base constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not contribute to regional stability. The Al-Sharra government has not adopted an aggressive approach and does not operate proxy forces. In fact, it has repeatedly expressed a preference for de-escalating tensions with Israel."
Barrack added that the United States believes restraint and dialogue are the more useful path, calling on the parties to prioritize substantive discourse over military incidents.
The Syrian Foreign Ministry responded sharply, condemning the attack on the airport. An official statement said that Syria views the action as unjustified aggression and a flagrant violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity. It further stated that this is a dangerous escalation threatening regional security and stability.
The attack occurred against a backdrop of great complexity within Syria, including attempts by the Syrian army to rebuild and Al-Sharra's efforts to establish a new fighting force. At the same time, the presence of IDF forces continues near the border with Israel, while various countries, including Turkey, are attempting to take an active part in rebuilding Syria.
The bombed airport is considered a place of significant strategic importance. It is located in the eastern part of the Idlib suburbs and is the only airport east of Idlib and the eastern suburbs of Homs. It was also used for refueling fighter jets. This is the first attack of its kind on this airport; it was not hit during the Air Force's wave of attacks on December 8, 2024, during the fall of the Assad regime. It appears this action is directed against Israel's opposition to the Turkish presence in northern Syria and the establishment of Turkish military bases.
A Syrian military source told local media that the IDF carried out eight attacks early this morning on the Abu al-Duhur airport, targeting the runway and abandoned aircraft hangars. There were no casualties, though property damage was caused. The Qatari newspaper Al-Araby Al-Jadeed reported that the Israeli attacks were carried out following a visit by a Turkish military delegation to the site for the purpose of restoring the runway.
