US envoy faults Israeli strikes on Syrian airbase as "unnecessary escalation"

Eight airstrikes hit Syria's Abu al-Duhur airbase in Idlib on August 18, 2026. Syria, Jordan, and the US attributed the attack to Israel, which has not claimed responsibility. US envoy Barrack called the strikes "an unnecessary escalation." The airbase was inactive; no casualties were reported. The strike fits Israel's broader campaign to degrade Syrian military capacity since Assad's overthrow in December 2024.