The Israeli government publicly claimed responsibility for an airstrike conducted against a military airfield in northern Syria near the Turkish border, stating that the action was necessary to protect national security interests. The Prime Minister's Office issued an official statement outlining that Israel and Syria had previously agreed to maintain a security status quo, which Syrian authorities were on the verge of violating by permitting Turkish military forces to deploy at an air base near Aleppo.
The targeted facility was the Abu al-Duhur military airport in Idlib province, located seventy kilometers from the Turkish border. Israeli strikes targeted runways and aircraft hangars, coming just days after a Turkish delegation visited the airfield as part of broader infrastructure reconstruction efforts in northern Syria.
The Israeli government warned that any deployment of foreign hardware, including drones and air defense systems, constitutes a direct threat. "Israel warned Syria repeatedly that such a deployment would pose a threat to its security," the Prime Minister's Office stated. "Syria chose to ignore these warnings. Israel will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo."
The military operation comes amid diplomatic discussions between Israeli officials and the Syrian regime. Addressing the ongoing negotiations, a senior Israeli official noted that territorial assets remain an important diplomatic tool, stating, "We will not easily give up what we have achieved, it is strategic leverage in negotiations with the Syrian regime. In exchange for withdrawal, political achievements can be brought, and this will happen at the appropriate timing."
The strikes drew formal condemnations from Syria, Turkey, and the United States, raising concerns in Washington regarding potential military friction between Israel and Turkey. US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack addressed the incident, highlighting the need for structured communication channels.
"The Israeli strikes on the Syrian air base reflect the assessment that Turkey might increase its presence there in the near future," Barrack stated. "Turkey received no warning about the Israeli strikes, and could potentially have prepared a reasonable response of its own. This highlights the need for a deconfliction mechanism that includes Israel, Syria, and Turkey, a mechanism we are actively working to establish."
