US envoy criticizes Israeli strikes in Syria as 'unnecessary escalation'

The United States has criticized recent Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian military airfield, calling them an "unnecessary escalation" that does not contribute to regional stability. U.S. Special Envoy to Syria and Ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, voiced these concerns on the platform X, formerly Twitter.

Barrack highlighted that Syria's transitional government, led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, has not adopted an aggressive stance. Instead, he noted, the government has repeatedly shown a preference for reducing tensions with Israel. He stated that Washington has previously facilitated negotiations between conflict parties and remains committed to supporting diplomatic efforts for a resolution.

Syria's Foreign Ministry, however, accused Israel of repeatedly targeting sites within the country since December 8, 2024. The ministry asserted that these ongoing attacks indicate Israel's intention to push the region into a new phase of tension and instability. Despite these accusations, Israel has declined to comment on the situation, and no reports of damage or casualties have been released.

Data from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in the United Kingdom, indicates that the Abu al-Duhur military airfield, the site of the recent strikes, had been disused for years but is currently undergoing renovation with Turkish assistance. Turkish vehicles and equipment have been stationed at the airfield, and a Turkish military delegation recently visited to assess the progress of the renovation work.

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These confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur military airfield are an unnecessary escalation. These strikes do not contribute to stability in the region.