Syria on Tuesday, 18 August strongly condemned Israeli airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airport in the northwestern province of Idlib, calling the attack a direct violation of the country's sovereignty and a dangerous escalation with implications for regional security. Damascus demanded international intervention, including a firm response from the UN Security Council.

What Happened at Abu al-Duhur

Syrian state broadcaster Al-Ikhbariya TV, citing a military source, reported that Israeli warplanes carried out eight airstrikes on the runway of the Abu al-Duhur military airport in the eastern countryside of Idlib in the early hours of Tuesday. The strikes caused material damage to the airport's infrastructure. No casualties were reported, according to the military source.

The airport is located near the town of Abu al-Duhur, approximately 27 km east of Saraqeb, and sits close to routes linking parts of Idlib, Aleppo, and Hama provinces — areas extending toward Syria's central desert.

Syria's Official Response

Syria's foreign affairs authority issued a formal statement describing the strikes as 'an unjustified act of aggression' and a 'flagrant violation' of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity. The statement held Israel responsible for the escalation and called on the international community and the UN Security Council to condemn the attack and adopt a firm stance against what it characterised as repeated Israeli violations of Syrian sovereignty.

The authority also warned that continued Israeli military actions since the fall of the former Syrian government on 8 December 2024 were undermining the new Syrian authorities' efforts to consolidate stability and prevent further escalation.

A Pattern of Israeli Military Activity Inside Syria

The Idlib airstrike is not an isolated incident. Last week, an Israeli military patrol reportedly advanced into the Abu Qbeis Hill area in the countryside of Syria's southwestern Quneitra province, according to Syrian state media. The patrol comprised two tanks and several military vehicles carrying soldiers.

That incursion came a day after an Israeli force reportedly entered the village of Eastern Samadaniyah in Quneitra with two tanks and additional military vehicles. Taken together, the incidents point to a sustained pattern of Israeli military operations across multiple Syrian provinces since the political transition of late 2024.

No Israeli Comment

There was no immediate response from Israel on the airstrikes as of Tuesday. Israel has historically neither confirmed nor denied individual strikes on Syrian territory, citing operational security. The silence follows a familiar pattern observed across dozens of reported strikes since 2013.

Regional Implications

The strikes come at a particularly sensitive moment for Syria's new governing authorities, who are attempting to stabilise a country still navigating a fragile post-conflict transition. Critics argue that continued military actions by external actors complicate Syria's path to sovereignty and reconstruction. The international community has yet to issue a coordinated response to the latest escalation.