Israeli warplanes attacked the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in northwestern Syria’s Idlib province early on August 18, 2026, targeting the runway and storage facilities, Syrian state media and military sources reported [1, 2, 3]. The strikes comprised eight separate airstrikes according to Syrian official sources, though Anadolu Agency reported only four strikes on the site [1, 2, 4, 3].
The Abu al-Duhur airbase, located about 70 kilometers from the Turkish border, has not operated as a dedicated military airfield since 2013 and has shifted control multiple times during Syria’s civil war [1, 2]. Since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in late 2024, it has served as a training center for Syria’s new army [1].
There were no casualties reported from the strikes, according to Syrian media, local witnesses, and international reports [1, 2, 4, 3]. Syrian authorities condemned the attack as "an unjustified act of aggression, a flagrant violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a dangerous escalation that threatens security and stability in the region," according to the Syrian Foreign Ministry [3]. Turkey also strongly condemned the strikes, with its Foreign Ministry saying, "Israel continues to carry out attacks targeting Syria’s infrastructure and capabilities while undermining the country’s territorial integrity and unity" [5].
The airstrikes are part of a broader Israeli campaign to degrade Syrian military capabilities that intensified sharply following Assad’s removal in 2024, Al Jazeera analyst Heidi Pett said. "There is a continuing Israeli campaign to degrade Syrian military capabilities that began under the Assad regime, but it rapidly escalated immediately after its fall," she noted [2].
Following the airstrikes, Israeli military patrols reportedly entered the outskirts of Beit Jinn town near Damascus, marking further Israeli activity in Syria [6]. The Israeli military declined to comment on the strikes [1].
The international community has yet to respond formally, with Turkey urging accountability for Israel’s actions [5]. The situation remains tense in the region as Israeli operations targeting Syrian military sites continue.
