US condemns Israeli strikes on Syrian airbase as unnecessary escalation
Tensions rise in the Middle East as the United States criticises Israeli airstrikes in Idlib province, while Tehran declares its 60-day deadline for a US deal void and maintains the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
The United States has formally accused Israel of conducting airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in Syria’s Idlib province, describing the operation as an “unnecessary escalation” that undermines regional stability. US envoy Tom Barrack issued the condemnation on Tuesday, stating that Washington was deeply concerned by the attacks and urging all parties to prioritise “logical discourse” over further military incidents.
Syrian state media confirmed that eight strikes targeted the runway of the disused airbase, causing material damage to the infrastructure but resulting in no casualties. The facility, which has been out of service since 2012, is currently protected by forces from Syria’s defence ministry. Syrian authorities accused Israel of carrying out the early morning strikes, while security sources told AFP that unidentified aircraft had bombed the site.
Concurrently, diplomatic tensions escalated between Tehran and Washington. Iranian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Esmail Baghaei declared that the 60-day deadline for reaching a deal with the United States was null and void, citing violations by Washington. Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, stated that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until the United States met specific conditions, including lifting the marine blockade, removing sanctions, and freeing Iran’s frozen assets.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has had immediate operational impacts. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported on Tuesday that a vessel transiting the strait was struck by an unknown projectile, causing engine room damage and one crew casualty. The Omani Coast Guard assisted the remaining crew, while Saudi Aramco resumed oil loading from within the strait last week despite the ongoing blockade.
Further complicating the security landscape, an explosion of unknown origin at a thermal power plant in Banias, Syria, resulted in three deaths, with the cause under investigation. In Iraq, authorities announced an investigation into a drone attack on the Kurdistan Region prime minister’s office, an incident Kurdish authorities blamed on Iran. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis claimed responsibility for targeting an oil refinery in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, using drones in response to airspace violations.
