Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Confirms Airstrike on Syrian Air Base Amid US Criticism

Abu al-Duhur air base is seen in northwestern Syria following an Israeli strike on Tuesday.

As scuppered talks between Tehran and Washington roil the region, new information emerges regarding an Israeli strike on Tuesday targeting a Syrian air base near Idlib, an attack that drew sharp criticism from the Trump administration.

Breaking hours of silence, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged an Israeli strike on a military airport in northwestern Syria that was previously condemned by the US as an “unnecessary escalation.” Netanyahu stated that Israel targeted the base due to what he asserted was an imminent deployment of Turkish troops to the facility near Aleppo.

He noted that Israel and Syria, which lack formal relations but have participated in talks under the auspices of the Trump administration, maintained a “status quo in security matters.” In a statement shared on X, he warned that Syria jeopardized this arrangement through the potential deployment of Turkish troops to the Abu al-Duhur base.

“Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel’s security,” Netanyahu said. “Israel will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo.”

Netanyahu has maintained a public feud with Turkey and its president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He has accused Erdogan of supporting Hamas and opposed the sale of US-made F-35 fighter jets to Ankara, while Turkish officials have labeled Israel “a burden that humanity can no longer bear.”

Earlier Tuesday, as reports of airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airport surfaced, US envoy Tom Barrack stated, “We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.” He added that Washington encouraged all parties to prioritize “logical discourse” over further military incidents.