Berk Kutay Gokmen
18 August 2026•Update: 18 August 2026
UN Secretary-General spokesman Stephane Dujarric on Tuesday condemned Israeli airstrikes against Syria, describing them as a “very worrying violation” of Syria’s territorial integrity and airspace.
Responding to a question about Israeli strikes against the Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in Idlib province, Dujarric said the UN had seen the attacks and asked for them to stop.
“It's yet another very worrying violation of the territorial integrity and airspace of Syria. These airstrikes should stop, and we stand against them,” Dujarric told reporters at a UN briefing.
Turning to the occupied Palestinian territory, Dujarric said the UN was “deeply alarmed” by the deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the occupied West Bank.
He said Israeli forces had instructed 10 Palestinian families in Tulkarm’s Jabal Al Nasr neighborhood to leave their homes temporarily during military activities near the adjacent Nur Shams refugee camp.
He added that Israeli military bulldozers damaged water and sewage networks while excavating a road and Palestinian land. Families returned after Israeli forces withdrew and municipal crews repaired the infrastructure.
In the Gaza Strip, Dujarric said humanitarian needs remained “immense,” while UN partners continued aid deliveries and other operations where possible. He cited a UN assessment that found only 3% of Gaza’s cropland remains accessible and undamaged.
He also expressed concern about continued Israeli airstrikes, shelling, gunfire and naval fire affecting civilians, primarily west of the so-called yellow line, where most of Gaza’s population is concentrated.
