Damascus Blames Israel for Overnight Strikes on Syrian Airbase

Multiple airstrikes hit the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Syria’s Idlib province overnight, with Damascus attributing the attack to Israel, Syrian state television reported on Tuesday. State TV cited a Syrian military source describing eight air strikes on the base and confirming material damage with no casualties.

What We Know

Syrian state TV, quoted by Al Jazeera, said Israeli forces carried out the strikes, causing damage to the facility. The Times of Israel reported that the airbase sits roughly 70 kilometers from the Turkish border and is reportedly being used as a training center for Syria’s new army under the post-Assad government.

Earlier reporting from the Jerusalem Post described four strikes on the same airfield with the attackers initially unidentified, before Damascus publicly attributed the attack to Israel. The Israeli military has not commented publicly on the strikes as of this writing, consistent with its standard practice on operations inside Syria.

What We Don’t Know

The specific munitions, launch platforms, and precise target set inside the airbase have not been disclosed by either side. It is also not yet clear whether the training center referenced by Syrian state media was the primary target, or whether stored equipment, aircraft, or personnel from the new Syrian army were hit. This story is developing and details are likely to change as Damascus and Israel provide further statements.

Context

The strikes land at a delicate moment for Syria’s post-Assad government, which has spent much of the year consolidating its security services and reworking foreign military arrangements. Earlier this month Damascus finalized a long-negotiated deal with Russia covering the Tartous and Hmeimim bases, and Syria previously joined a US-brokered agreement on nuclear material handling with the IAEA.

Israel has continued to strike targets inside Syria throughout the year, part of a broader regional operational tempo that has also included renewed strikes in southern Lebanon and repeated action against Iran-linked infrastructure. An Israeli hit against a training center for the new Syrian army — rather than an Iran-linked or Hezbollah-linked node — would represent a notable shift in target selection.

What to Watch

1. Whether the Israel Defense Forces issue a statement or acknowledgment of the strike.
2. Damascus’s response — diplomatic, military, or via allied channels including Turkey, given the airbase’s proximity to the border.
3. Any indication that Iranian or Hezbollah personnel or materiel were present at the site at the time of the strike.