Israeli strikes hit airbase runway in northwest Syria but no casualties, state TV reports

Israeli airstrikes hit the runway of the Abu Duhur airbase in northwest Syria early Tuesday, according to Syrian state TV. The strikes caused material damage but resulted in no casualties, the report stated. State TV provided no further details about the attack. No response was received from the Israeli military regarding the incident.

Turkish officials were also unavailable for comment. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor based in Britain, noted that foreign fighters had previously used the base before being asked to leave recently. The organization added that Turkey, a key supporter of Syria's government, has been working to rehabilitate the airbase, which had been out of service for years during Syria's ongoing conflict that claimed nearly half a million lives.

Tensions between Israel and Turkey over Syria have been escalating since the fall of Bashar Assad's government in December 2024, when insurgents captured Damascus. Since then, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes across Syria, primarily targeting assets of the Syrian military to prevent them from falling into the hands of Assad's successors.

Last year, Israeli drone strikes in a southern Damascus suburb killed eight soldiers and injured others. The new authorities in Damascus have expressed a desire to avoid conflict with Israel, but Israel remains wary of the government led by former Islamist insurgents.