Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur air base in Syria’s Idlib province on Tuesday, placing the attack about 70 kilometres from the Turkish border, according to the report published on August 19, 2026. US Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack warned that the incident could further raise tensions with Turkey. The strike came after a Turkish military delegation visited the base to inspect runway renovation work.

Barrack said Turkey had not been warned before the attack and could have mistakenly viewed it as an attack on itself, potentially sending aircraft in response. He expressed relief that there were no reported casualties and that the situation did not escalate into a larger conflict. Israel indicated the strike was linked to concerns over the possibility of Turkish troop deployment at Syrian air bases.

Barrack called for a coordination, or deconfliction, mechanism among Israel, Syria and Turkey to prevent future misunderstandings. He said the United States is working toward such an arrangement, including a permanent 24-hour communications centre staffed by officials fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, English and Turkish. He also said discussions could address Israeli concerns over Turkish military deployments and radar systems in Syria.