Syria rejects Israel’s claim over airbase strike

Syria has rejected Israel’s explanation for an airstrike on a military airbase in northern Syria, saying there were no plans to establish a Turkish military base or permanent Turkish presence at the facility.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Damascus had informed Israeli officials about the nature of the work being carried out at Abu al-Duhur airbase before the attack.

According to Syrian officials, the facility was being repaired and prepared for use by the Syrian Air Force. The work was focused on restoring runways and infrastructure damaged during Syria’s civil war.

Israel carried out at least eight strikes on the airbase early Tuesday, hitting runways and hangars. The attacks reportedly damaged recently repaired sections of the facility. No casualties were reported.

Israeli officials said the operation was aimed at preventing what they described as a Turkish military buildup at the site. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said Syria had previously been warned against allowing a Turkish military presence at the base.

Al-Shaibani strongly disputed that account. He said the airbase was largely empty and had not yet become fully operational.

“There was no Turkish military buildup at the base,” the Syrian foreign minister said, arguing that the situation on the ground did not support Israel’s justification for the strike.

He acknowledged that Turkish military officers had visited the facility shortly before the attack. However, he described the visit as part of broader military cooperation between Syria and Türkiye, including training and the exchange of expertise.

Al-Shaibani said Syria had also developed military cooperation with countries including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and Russia as it works to rebuild its institutions.

He stressed that Syria is a sovereign country and has the right to establish partnerships with other states.

The Syrian minister also said Syrian and Israeli officials had remained in contact before the airstrike. Damascus had reportedly explained that the facility would remain under Syrian control and that no permanent Turkish deployment was planned.

Following the attack, Syria contacted the United States and other countries to protest the strike and seek measures to prevent similar incidents.

Al-Shaibani said Damascus had warned Washington about what it described as Israel’s increasingly aggressive policies toward Syria. He also called for respect for Syrian sovereignty and warned against turning Syrian territory into a battleground for wider regional disputes.

Despite the latest escalation, Damascus said it remained open to negotiations with Israel aimed at reducing tensions along their border.

Al-Shaibani said Syria and Israel had previously spent months negotiating a security arrangement through US mediation. According to him, the two sides had made substantial progress and reached an understanding on paper, but Israel later failed to implement the agreed framework.

The Syrian foreign minister said future negotiations could resume if there was genuine political will. He maintained that any security arrangement must address the concerns of both sides while respecting Syria’s sovereignty.

Meanwhile, Türkiye has strongly backed Syria following the Israeli strike.

Turkish Communications Director Burhanettin Duran criticised Netanyahu’s statements about Türkiye and accused the Israeli leadership of using threats against regional countries to divert attention from its own policies.

Duran said Türkiye would continue supporting Syria and other countries seeking peaceful solutions to regional conflicts.

He argued that Israel’s military actions in Gaza, Syria and Lebanon had contributed to growing instability across the region. He also said Ankara opposed policies that could widen the conflict.

Duran stressed that Türkiye’s objective was to reduce bloodshed and promote peace, with the Palestinian issue and the situation in Gaza remaining among its key concerns.