Rare American criticism for Israel after attacks on Syrian military facility

The United States has issued a rare public rebuke of Israel after airstrikes hit a Syrian military airbase near the Turkish border, with Washington condemning the attack as an "unnecessary escalation" that does not advance regional stability. Eight strikes targeted the runway and storage facility at Abu Duhur airport on Tuesday, according to Syrian state television, though no injuries were reported. The attack represents the most significant Israeli military action against Syrian targets since March and has drawn criticism from both Damascus and Ankara.

Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey who also serves as Donald Trump's special envoy for Syria and Iraq, voiced Washington's concerns in a social media post. "We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability," Barrack wrote on X. The unusual public criticism of Israel by its closest ally reflected American unease at the timing and location of the strikes, which occurred close to the Turkish border and risked drawing Ankara into a broader confrontation.

Israel, while not directly confirming its involvement, offered a justification through a statement from the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo," the statement said. The accusation appeared designed to frame the strikes as a pre-emptive measure to prevent a shift in the regional balance of power, though it did not provide evidence of Turkish troop movements to the base, which sits approximately 70km from the border.

Syria's foreign ministry condemned the attacks as "an unjustified act of aggression" imperilling regional "security and stability". Turkey, for its part, did not confirm whether any of its troops had deployed to Abu Duhur, but rejected Israel's suggestion that it posed a threat. "The frivolous allegations put forward by the Israeli Prime Minister's office aim to legitimize Israel's unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity," Turkey's Communications Directorate said in a statement quoted by the state-run Anadolu agency. The exchange underscored the deep mistrust between Israel and Turkey, two regional powers that have found themselves on opposing sides of Syria's complex conflict.

Abu Duhur has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013, when it fell out of government control during the civil war. Rebel forces seized the base in December 2024 as they swept through the country in the offensive that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime within two weeks. Syria has since been attempting to rebuild its military facilities, which sustained significant damage during the rapid rebel advance, with Turkish military assistance playing a role in the post-Assad reconstruction effort. Israel, however, continues to view both Damascus and Ankara with deep suspicion, having carried out airstrikes on parts of central and southern Syria since Ahmed al-Sharaa, the rebel leader who now leads the country, came to power.

Barrack noted that Sharaa "has neither adopted nor maintained proxy forces" and "repeatedly indicated a preference for de-escalation with Israel". The US envoy added that Washington would continue to offer to host diplomatic discussions between both sides to address "kinetic frustrations", suggesting that the Biden administration sees a diplomatic path to resolving tensions. The airstrikes, however, have complicated efforts to stabilise Syria and have raised questions about Israel's willingness to tolerate what it perceives as threats to its security, even at the risk of alienating its American ally.