Terrorist ‘israel’ Conducts Airstrike on Syrian Base, Amid Turkish Troop Deployment
Zionist regime has announced that it conducted airstrikes on a Syrian military airbase, even though the extremist-led government in Damascus, which has historically combated opponents of Tel Aviv, did not pose an immediate threat.
According to a report by Axios, Israeli officials previously informed Washington that the strikes were aimed at preventing a Turkish military buildup at the base, citing sources from both the US and Israel.
The Abu al-Duhur military airport in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province was hit by strikes on Tuesday, according to Syrian media. Reports indicate that the facility was targeted by eight separate attacks.
Israel later admitted its involvement, stating that its actions were prompted by reports that Syria was potentially permitting Turkish forces to station at the base.
In a statement, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel and Syria had reached an agreement to maintain “a status quo in security matters.” The statement alleged that a Turkish deployment at the site would have breached this understanding.
Turkey has dismissed Israel’s rationale, labeling the claims as “frivolous allegations” intended to legitimize what it describes as “unlawful” assaults on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
A Turkish official, who chose to remain anonymous, refuted claims made to Axios that the nation was planning to set up a military presence at Abu al-Duhur. The official asserted that there were no Turkish troops stationed at that location.
An official has claimed that “No Turkish presence was detected at the airbase,” and accused Israel of fabricating justifications to conduct airstrikes on neighboring nations, thereby contributing to regional instability.
In response to the strikes, US Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, commended Damascus and its forces for not presenting a threat to Israel, aligning with repeated confirmations from Damascus.
On the social media platform X, he stated that the administration led by self-proclaimed Syrian president Abu Muhammad al-Jolani “has not taken an aggressive stance nor sustained proxy forces. Instead, it has consistently shown a willingness for de-escalation with Israel.”
Israel reportedly shared intelligence with Washington concerning purported Turkish plans for the base and proceeded with strikes only after diplomatic approaches with Syria proved ineffective, according to a security source referenced by Israeli broadcaster Kan.
Barrack later announced that efforts were underway in Washington to set up a deconfliction mechanism among Israel, Turkey, and Syria to avert similar incidents in the future.
The attack follows closely on the heels of reports that Syrian government forces have been granted access to the United States’ so-called “final” military base in Syria. This development comes after a protracted process of American troop withdrawal from the region, concluding years of their presence in the country.
Washington’s level of withdrawal remains uncertain. In recent developments, Iran has declared new operations aimed at US forces and assets within Syria.
Reports have emerged indicating that the United States has, for several years, been actively involved in training extremist forces at its al-Tanf Base in Syria. Throughout the course of the conflict, the US has also provided arms and financial support to various factions, including the Noureddine al-Zinki movement, a group implicated in the beheading of a 12-year-old boy and other alleged war crimes.
Numerous groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Daesh, such as the Noureddine al-Zinki movement, have now become brigades within the newly formed Syrian army following the collapse of former President Assad’s regime.
The army has reportedly killed thousands of civilians from the Alawite, Druze, and Kurdish communities following the establishment of the new Syrian state. However, they have not engaged Israeli forces, who have been occupying parts of the country since Assad’s departure.
Damascus has publicly announced a stance of non-hostility towards Israel and has stated it is not seeking any confrontation. Nevertheless, Israel persists in conducting attacks on the country and is further expanding its occupation of Syrian land.
Following Assad’s departure from Syria, Israeli military forces have effectively surrounded the capital city of Damascus.
Key elements of Syria’s military infrastructure, once part of its former army, were significantly damaged following a series of Israeli strikes. These attacks occurred in the initial days after the government led by Jolani assumed control.
Jolani, the newly appointed president, previously held the position of al-Qaeda chief and served as a deputy to the now-deceased Daesh leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
The Syrian leader has been held directly accountable for orchestrating violent suicide bombings targeting civilians and sacred sites across Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq.
Turkey has become a major regional ally of Jolani, the former deputy of al-Qaeda and Daesh, who now leads the HTS-led regime in Damascus. Ankara is providing both military and diplomatic assistance.
The Abu al-Duhur military base, situated approximately 70 kilometers east of the Turkish border, has remained largely inactive since 2013, undergoing multiple changes of control amidst the ongoing conflict in Syria.
Syrian state media reported that Tuesday’s airstrikes targeted the runway and storage facilities, with no casualties confirmed.
