US Condemns ‘unnecessary escalation’ After Israeli Airstrikes on Syrian Airbase
Key facts:
- Eight strikes hit Abu Duhur airbase runway and storage facilities; no injuries reported.
- Israel said Syria was close to breaching the status‑quo, accusing it of allowing Turkish troops to station nearby.
- US ambassador Tom Barrack condemned the attacks as an ’unnecessary escalation’ that does not advance stability.
- Syria and Turkey call the strikes an unjustified act of aggression, threatening regional security.
- The airbase had been out of service since 2013 and was seized by rebel forces in December 2024.
The U.S. response marks a rare rebuke of Israel, underscoring intensified tensions amid a fragile cease‑fire. Israeli forces have launched a string of air strikes across Syria for years, with the latest one targeting the near‑border Abu Duhur airbase. Surrounding the region are Turkish troops, though Ankara has denied active deployment there. U.S. officials, however, stand ready to host diplomatic talks despite the ’kinetic frustrations’ between the sides. Meanwhile, Syria’s president Ahmad al‑Sharaa has historically sought rapprochement with the U.S., recently visiting the White House for the first time in decades.
