Foreign Relations

U.S. Envoy Calls Israeli Strikes on Syria's Abu al-Duhur an Unnecessary Escalation

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Courtroom-sketch editorial illustration of the interior of a concrete hardened aircraft shelter at a Syrian military airbase, two weathered MiG-21 fighter jets parked nose-out beneath the curving arch with a uniformed soldier walking between them at center and two more figures crossing toward the right, scattered debris and rubble across the floor and bright pale daylight flooding in through the open mouth of the shelter onto the flat airfield beyond, drawn in warm ochre and slate-blue chalk and

U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Tuesday that confirmed Israeli airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability, and that Washington will keep hosting talks between the sides. Syria's Foreign Ministry separately condemned the strikes as an unjustified act of aggression violating its sovereignty and urged the United Nations Security Council to take a firm stance. Syrian military sources said fighter jets hit the runway and abandoned warehouses, with material damage and no casualties, and that the strike followed a Turkish delegation's visit tied to plans for a joint Syrian-Turkish base there. Israel has not publicly claimed the strikes.

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