Israeli airstrikes hit Abu al-Duhur military base in Syria

Early on August 18, 2026, multiple airstrikes targeted the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in Syria’s Idlib province. While initial reports varied, state-run media confirmed eight strikes hit the runway and storage facilities. No casualties were reported. The base, located 70 kilometers from the Turkish border, has been out of service since 2013 but was reportedly being used to train Syria’s new army following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the action, stating that Syria had breached a security status quo by allegedly permitting Turkish military deployment near Aleppo. Israel warned that such presence poses a security threat, a claim Ankara vehemently denied, labeling the allegations as baseless attempts to justify the strikes. While Israel did not officially claim responsibility, the United States condemned the incident as an unnecessary escalation. The Syrian Foreign Ministry has demanded international intervention, calling the attack an unjustifiable violation of its sovereignty.