Syria and the U.S. accused Israel on Tuesday of conducting airstrikes targeting a runway and storage facilities at Abu al-Duhur Air base in northwest Syria, prompting U.S. officials to express concern over the attack. Jerusalem, however, has not acknowledged responsibility for the strikes. 

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who serves as special envoy for Syria and Iraq, expressed concern following the incident, which he deemed “confirmed Israeli airstrikes,” calling it an “unnecessary escalation.” 

“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 said in a statement on X. “The Al-Sharaa government has neither adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces. It has, in fact, repeatedly indicated a preference for de-escalation with Israel.”

Barrack added that the U.S. will continue to “host discussions to encourage diplomatic cadence over kinetic frustration for both nations.” The U.S. envoy has previously come under fire for his comments critical of Israel, as well as his apparent promotion of a Middle East trade alignment last month that would cut out Israel. 

A senior Israeli official told Fox News that “highly sensitive intelligence” was shared with the U.S. “in advance” of the strikes. 

“Highly sensitive intelligence was shared with the United States in advance, at the most senior levels of the various agencies and bodies,” the official told Fox News. “Al-Sharaa understands that he cannot operate like the previous Syrian regime, which maintained proxy forces. It’s possible that he didn’t understand what was going on, or didn’t know.”

The base, which sits near the Turkish border, has been used as a training center for Syria’s new army following the ouster of dictator Bashar al-Assad in late 2024. Ankara has assisted Damascus in training its army and rebuilding critical infrastructure and institutions in the country. 

In early August, Syria launched its first air exercises since Assad was deposed, deploying Russian-made MiG-21 fighter jets in the country’s northern region. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Aug. 11 that security officials detected an accelerated push by Syria to rebuild its air force — pointing to pilot recruitment, flight training and fighter jet drills. According to an Israeli security source quoted by Kan, Israel was monitoring the situation closely and had voiced concerns to Washington.

Meanwhile, Ankara has repeatedly accused Israel of trying to destabilize Syria and weaken its new government through military strikes, urging international leaders to compel Israel to respect Syrian sovereignty.

Following Assad’s fall, Israel has held a security zone in southwestern Syria and destroyed large stockpiles of the Assad regime’s heavy weaponry and equipment, driven by Israeli officials’ concerns over the militant Islamist origins of Syria’s new leadership.