U.S. Ambassador Says Israeli Strikes on Syrian Airbase Risk Escalation

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack said Washington is “deeply concerned” that Israeli airstrikes on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur Airbase could represent an unnecessary escalation that does not contribute to regional stability.

Barrack said Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has not adopted an aggressive posture or maintained proxy forces and has repeatedly expressed a preference for reducing tensions with Israel.

“The United States continues to believe that restraint and engagement offer the more constructive course,” Barrack said, urging all sides to prioritize diplomacy and dialogue over further military confrontations.

Israel, however, said the United States had been informed ahead of the strike. A senior Israeli official said highly sensitive intelligence was shared with Washington in advance.

The official said al-Sharaa understands that he cannot govern in the same way as Syria’s previous regime, which relied on proxy forces, but suggested he may not have been fully aware of the situation surrounding the strike.

Al-Sharaa, formerly the leader of an al Qaeda-affiliated rebel group in Syria, became president in January 2025 after rebel forces overthrew longtime President Bashar al-Assad.

President Donald Trump has backed Syria’s new government and took a major step in June by lifting broad U.S. economic sanctions on the country.

The latest dispute highlights growing tensions between Israel and Syria as Washington pushes for restraint and greater diplomatic engagement in the region.