Israeli Strike on Syrian Air Base Near Turkey Signals Wider Airpower Contest
Israeli jets hit Syria’s Abu al-Duhur Air Base in Idlib overnight with four strikes on the runway, targeting a field that houses the remnants of Syria’s post-Assad air force. The attack, roughly 70 km from Turkey’s border, deepens the quiet air war over northern Syria and raises fresh questions about how Israel, Syria and Turkey are jostling for advantage in the same contested airspace.
Israel has once again projected its airpower deep into Syria, this time near territory where Ankara is also trying to entrench its influence. Overnight, Israeli fighter jets carried out at least four airstrikes on Abu al‑Duhur Air Base in Idlib province, targeting the runway of a field that hosts what remains of Syria’s battered air force, according to reports published in the early hours of 18 August. The base, located about 70 kilometers from the Syrian‑Turkish border, is home to a small number of restored Su‑22 fighter‑bombers, L‑39 trainer aircraft and older helicopters that Damascus has struggled to keep flying after years of war, sanctions and previous Israeli raids. Recent…
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