Israeli Jets Strike Syrian Airbase as Turkey Denies Any Troop Presence
Israeli airstrikes hit Syria’s Ebu Zuhur airbase while Russia launched a massive overnight barrage of more than 200 drones and missiles at Ukraine, as Myanmar’s military conducted an offensive to clear land for a Russia-backed deep-sea port project.
Israeli Strike on Syrian Airbase
Israeli warplanes targeted Syria’s Ebu Zuhur Military Airbase in the eastern countryside of Idlib on 18 August morning. [1] Syrian state television, citing a military source, reported that eight airstrikes struck the base’s runway and depots. [1] Local and military sources reported no casualties from the attack, though material damage occurred at the facility. [1] A London-based Arabic publication, citing field sources, stated that a Turkish military delegation had visited Ebu Zuhur the day before the strike to inspect initial work on restoring the runway. [1] The same report noted that communication equipment was present inside the base and that a Bayraktar-type reconnaissance drone had been observed flying in the area. [1] Sources indicated that after the delegation departed, an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew around the base, and the strike followed several hours later. [1] The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights made a similar claim about the delegation visit. [1]
Turkish Position on Syria
Turkey’s Defense Ministry stated that no Turkish military delegation was present at Ebu Zuhur before or during the Israeli strike. [1] Ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Zeki Aktürk said at a weekly press briefing on the TCG Koçhisar vessel during TEKNOFEST Mavi Vatan that priority remains preventing further conflict and instability in the region and making peace and security permanent. [1] He added that efforts to protect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and to help it reach a stable and secure structure will continue resolutely. [1] The ministry described the Israeli strikes on Ebu Zuhur as actions aimed at harming Syria’s stability, security, unity and integrity, as well as its infrastructure. [1] Officials called the attacks unacceptable violations of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity and urged Israel to end such reckless strikes and comply with international law. [1] Turkey pledged to continue supporting Syria’s infrastructure and military capacity building under the “single army” principle. [1]
Israeli jets struck Syria’s Ebu Zuhur airbase near Idlib on 18 August. — Source: foxnews
Russia’s Aerial Assault on Ukraine
Russia launched more than 200 drones and missiles at Ukraine in a massive overnight barrage. [2] The strikes targeted key civilian locations, destroying a World Health Organization warehouse and causing multiple casualties. [2] Ukrainian officials said a Russian missile-and-drone barrage on Kyiv and the surrounding region killed at least 16 people and wounded about 40. [2] The attack damaged homes, a school and a children’s hospital. [2] Russian forces dropped more than 8,300 guided aerial bombs in July, the highest monthly total of the war and an average of more than 267 bombs a day. [2] In Ukraine’s Kherson region, farmer Ravil Dzhamally returned after Russian forces were driven back, cleared mines from his fields and planted wheat, barley and sunflowers on 800 hectares. [3] After barely breaking even in 2025, he faced favorable weather this year until escalating Russian attacks on the port of Odesa cut exports to a trickle. [3]
Ukraine’s Domestic Equalizer Bomb
Ukraine is procuring its domestically developed Equalizer glide bomb to reduce dependence on U.S. and European precision munitions. [2] The weapon, also called Vyrivniuvach, was developed by DG Industry with support from the government-backed Brave1 group. [2] A Ukrainian military official told Ukrinform that testing has finished and the bomb is now being bought for the armed forces. [2] The Equalizer adds wings and guidance systems to conventional bombs, turning them into precision weapons compatible with MiG-29, Su-24 and Su-27 aircraft. [2] It allows pilots to strike targets farther behind Russian lines while remaining farther from air defenses. [2] Brave1 said the bomb could eventually be used on donated F-16 and Mirage jets after additional certification. [2] The wings and flight-control software are made in Ukraine, but chips and microcircuits come from abroad, with about 90 percent of parts sourced from Ukraine, Europe and the U.S. [2] It is not yet clear when the Equalizer will reach units in large numbers or whether it has been used in combat. [2]
Myanmar Offensive for Dawei Port
Myanmar’s junta has sent hundreds of troops into Tanintharyi Region, burning villages and killing civilians including three aid workers to secure the site of the Dawei SEZ deep-sea port project that Russia has agreed to support. [4] Since July, the military has deployed hundreds of soldiers into the southern Tanintharyi Region bordering Thailand, sparking battles with local resistance groups. [4] Resistance fighter Saw Dah Ko of the Tanintharyi Region People’s Defence Force said the military is advancing columns and conducting area-clearance operations, with some villages and homes burned down. [4] A second fighter from the Dawei District No.1 battalion said troops torched houses in at least three villages and killed three aid workers supporting displaced communities. [4] The three aid workers were detained and killed after encountering an advancing column in Yebyu Township on July 9, according to the local civil society group MAGGA Initiative. [4] The intensification followed a late-June visit by armed forces deputy chief Kyaw Swar Lin, who urged soldiers to protect strategic projects such as Dawei. [4] Conflict monitor ACLED reported that since then a column of approximately 700 soldiers has been advancing, raiding villages and killing civilians. [4] The project was originally launched in 2008 as a joint venture with Thailand but stalled in 2013 due to local opposition and funding shortages. [4] Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing discussed the project during a visit to Thailand this month and again this week in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. [4] At a business forum in Moscow, Tanintharyi Region Chief Minister Zaw Naing Oo said the port could enable cargo to move four to six days quicker than via the Strait of Malacca. [4] Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said Russian companies intend to work with the Dawei SEZ to expand trade and create jobs. [4]
Broader Regional Impacts
Russian strikes on Ukraine have destroyed civilian infrastructure including a WHO warehouse, killed at least 16 in the Kyiv region, and left farmers such as those in Kherson unable to export grain through the port of Odesa. [2] [3] The offensive around the Dawei SEZ has been reinforced by air and naval attacks, overwhelming local resistance groups. [4] Min Lwin Oo of the Democracy Movement Strike Committee said the military enters the region, reinforces with the navy and launches offensives into villages within the deep sea port project area, with frequent skirmishes. [4] The push reflects the military’s broader strategy to reclaim strategic territory lost since the 2021 coup, which triggered a civil war that has killed some 100,000 people and displaced over 3.5 million. [4] In Nigeria’s Plateau State, Governor Caleb Mutfwang assured residents of Bin Mper in Mangu Local Government Area that they will not be displaced from their ancestral lands following a deadly attack on the community in the early hours of Tuesday. [5] Mutfwang described the attack as barbaric and senseless, said police have arrested suspects and pledged that the government will ensure those responsible are brought to justice. [5] He visited the community’s king, John Hirse, and assured him that the administration would not abandon the people. [5]
What to watch next: Ukrainian officials continue pressing U.S. and European allies for more air-defense weapons after Zelenskyy noted that agreed monthly Patriot interceptor missiles are not enough to meet needs, while Russian companies intend to expand work with the Dawei SEZ to create jobs in small and medium businesses.
