Israel strikes Syrian air base hours after Turkish delegation visit, citing security breach

Published Aug 19, 05:29 PM UTC

On August 18, 2026, Israeli airstrikes targeted the Abu Duhur air base in northwestern Syria, causing damage but no casualties. The attack occurred hours after a Turkish delegation visited the base on August 17 to review rehabilitation work, according to two anonymous Syrian officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated the strike was necessary because Syria was 'on the verge of breaching' a security status quo by allowing Turkish troops to deploy there. Turkey denied the allegations, accusing Netanyahu of making 'untenable claims' to legitimize unlawful strikes and pursue expansionist policies ahead of Israeli elections. The base, located near Idlib, Aleppo, and Hama provinces, previously housed Syrian fighter jets. Turkey has been supporting Syria's military rebuilding since the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, including training and equipment. Israel has conducted hundreds of airstrikes in Syria since Assad's fall and continues to occupy a buffer zone in the south.