US Condemns Israeli Airstrikes on Syrian Airbase as ‘Unnecessary Escalation
The United States has criticised Israeli airstrikes on Syria’s Abu Duhur airbase near the Turkish border, describing them as an “unnecessary escalation.” Syrian state television said eight strikes hit the runway and a storage facility on Tuesday, with no injuries reported. Israel did not directly confirm carrying out the attack. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said Syria was close to violating a security status quo by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo. Syria and Turkey blamed Israel for the strikes and warned that they could raise regional tensions. Turkey did not confirm whether its forces had moved to Abu Duhur, which is about 70 kilometres from the border, but rejected Israel’s claims as allegations aimed at justifying unlawful attacks on Syrian sovereignty. Abu Duhur has not operated as a dedicated military airfield since 2013. Anti-Assad rebel forces captured it in December 2024, and Syria has been seeking to rebuild military facilities damaged during the offensive that toppled Bashar al-Assad’s government. Turkey has supported Syria’s military since Assad’s overthrow, while Israel remains suspicious of both countries. Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria and Iraq, said the strikes did not advance regional stability. He said Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa had indicated a preference for de-escalation with Israel, and that Washington would continue offering to host diplomatic talks. The development is relevant to the United States because Washington is seeking to reduce conflict between Israel and Syria while maintaining its diplomatic role with both regional partners.
Comments