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Syria Denies Turkish Military Base Plan at Israeli-Struck Airbase — AI-generated representative image: an empty desert airbase runway near Aleppo, illustrating the Abu al-Duhur facility at the center of the Syria-Turkiye-Israel

Editorial Team

Foreign Minister al-Shaibani rejects Turkish buildup claims at Abu al-Duhur as Israel and Turkiye trade accusations

Syria has no plans to establish a Turkish military presence at the Abu al-Duhur airbase attacked by Israel earlier this week, Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani said Wednesday. In an interview with the US news outlet Axios, al-Shaibani acknowledged that Turkish military officials had visited the site for training and broader cooperation, but denied any buildup and said the facility was largely empty.

The remarks come amid escalating security tensions between Israel and Turkiye over Syria, where both countries' militaries are active. Tuesday's strikes marked what appeared to be Israel's first attack on Syrian government assets since March, raising concerns that the war could widen into a direct confrontation between regional powers operating on Syrian soil.

Key Developments

On Tuesday, Israel carried out eight air strikes on the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base near Aleppo, according to Syrian state media. No casualties were reported, though the attack drew international condemnation.

Al-Shaibani said Israel had no legitimate justification for striking the facility. He added that while Syria remained open to negotiations with Israel on de-escalation, any future deal must address the security concerns of both countries, and warned that Israeli military operations would increase regional instability.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had warned Syria ahead of the strike not to allow a Turkish presence at the base. "Our message was very clear. Don't. I guess they didn't quite understand the message," he said Wednesday.

Background and Regional Tensions

Turkiye, a NATO member, has emerged as one of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's main allies and has accused Israel of trying to destabilise Syria and undermine its new administration. Ankara has repeatedly called for international pressure and measures on Israel to respect Syria's territorial integrity.

Last year, Turkiye and Israel established a line of communication to avoid any incidents in Syria. That channel appears to have failed to prevent the latest escalation, as both sides' militaries remain active in the country.

Official Statements and Reactions

"There was no intention to establish a Turkish base there, nor to establish a permanent Turkish military presence or deploy Turkish forces at the site," al-Shaibani said, adding that he had made this clear to Israel.

On Thursday morning, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "dragging Turkiye into dangerous adventures in Syria." Katz added that Israel would not allow any entity to threaten its security.

Turkiye rejected what it called "untenable allegations" by Israel over its military position in Syria. The Turkish defence ministry said no military delegation was at the air base before or during the attacks, and called for the international community to take more concrete and effective measures against Israel's actions, which it said threatened regional peace and stability.

What Lies Ahead

Ankara said Thursday it would continue supporting Syria's efforts to develop its own military capacity and infrastructure. Al-Shaibani indicated Syria remained open to de-escalation talks with Israel, provided any agreement addresses the security concerns of both nations. No formal negotiations have been announced, and further developments remain to be confirmed.