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U.S. envoy in Turkey chastises Israel for "unnecessary escalation" with strikes on Syrian air base
CBS News • • world
Key Points:
- The U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, condemned Israeli airstrikes on Syria's Abu al-Duhur Airbase, calling them an "unnecessary escalation" that undermines regional stability.
- Syrian officials reported at least four strikes on the airbase in Idlib, causing damage but no casualties, while Israel has not officially acknowledged the attacks.
- Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the strikes as a violation of sovereignty and a dangerous escalation, emphasizing the country's preference for de-escalation with Israel.
- The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights noted the base was formerly used by foreign fighters but is now being rehabilitated with Turkish support, and has been largely out of service.
- Israel has conducted numerous airstrikes in Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's government in 2024, targeting Syrian military assets and maintaining a presence in the Golan Heights buffer zone.
