"Israel and Syria agreed to maintain the security status quo. However, Syria nearly broke the agreement by allowing Turkish troops to deploy forces at an air base near Aleppo," the Israeli Prime Minister's Office stated on 18/8.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office asserted it had repeatedly warned Syria that such a move would threaten Israel's security, accusing Damascus of "choosing to ignore" these warnings. However, Israeli officials did not claim responsibility for the airstrike on Abu al-Duhur air base in Idlib province.
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Guard post near Abu al-Duhur base in Idlib province, Syria 12/2024. Photo: AP |
A Turkish official denied the country was seeking a military presence in Syria, according to US outlet Axios.
Earlier, US Presidential Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack expressed concern over the attack, stating Israel was responsible and labeling it an "unnecessary act of escalation that does not contribute to regional stability".
According to Barrack, the Syrian government has not been aggressive, nor does it maintain proxy forces; it has repeatedly expressed a desire to de-escalate tensions with Israel. He urged all parties to prioritize dialogue over further military operations.
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Location of Abu al-Duhur base. Graphic: Al Jazeera |
The Abu al-Duhur base has been inactive since 2012 and is currently guarded by forces from the Syrian Ministry of Defense. The 18/8 airstrike caused infrastructure damage at the base, but resulted in no casualties.
The Israeli military has conducted hundreds of airstrikes targeting Syria since the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad's government in 12/2024. However, the 18/8 attack occurred in an area distant from the security buffer zone Israel established and maintains in southern Syria.
Turkey was the first Muslim-majority nation to recognize Israel. However, tensions between the two countries escalated after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly criticized Israel, particularly concerning Tel Aviv's retaliatory operation in the Gaza Strip.
Nguyen Tien (According to AFP, Times of Israel)
