Tensions between Ankara and “Tel Aviv” have escalated following an Israeli airstrike on Abu al-Duhur Airbase in north-western Syria, as Türkiye denied having forces stationed at the facility and accused “Israel” of using claims of Turkish military activity as a pretext for the attack.
Türkiye strongly rejected the Israeli account of the reasons behind the strike, insisting that there was no Turkish military presence at the base.
A Turkish official told Axios that Israel was “inventing excuses to bomb neighbouring countries and destabilise the region”.
The strike took place around 72 kilometres from the Turkish border. At least eight bombs were reportedly used to target runways and recently renovated hangar buildings, with no casualties reported.
“Israel” initially remained silent about the attack and imposed a publication ban on its details. US Ambassador to Türkiye and Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack later disclosed that “Israel” was responsible for the operation.
Barrack described the attack as “an unnecessary escalation that does not enhance regional stability”.
He said Ankara had received no warning and that Turkish forces detected Israeli aircraft heading north towards Turkish territory, raising concerns that Türkiye could respond militarily. According to Barrack, such a response was narrowly avoided.
US Concerns Over Further Escalation
According to a report by Maariv, senior US officials believe the timing of the Israeli strike was not accidental and that the decision may have been influenced, at least partly, by domestic political considerations in “Israel” ahead of elections scheduled for October.
Axios reported that the administration of US President Donald Trump asked the Syrian government to exercise restraint, arguing that tensions along the border would be easier to address once the Israeli election campaign had concluded.
According to the report, this reflects growing frustration within the White House over the actions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
US officials reportedly believe the Israeli government may be prioritising domestic electoral considerations over efforts to contain tensions and preserve regional stability.
The report cited US officials as saying that the Syrian government, led by Ahmed al-Sharaa, had previously made clear that rehabilitation work at the airbase was not hostile in nature.
Damascus had also sought to strengthen a joint security coordination mechanism in Jordan.
However, according to the account cited in the report, “Israel” refused to activate that mechanism while simultaneously intensifying its military activity in southern Syria.
The Israeli strike reportedly caused frustration within the White House at a time when the Trump administration is attempting to maintain stability amid developments in Syria and prevent a confrontation involving Israel, Türkiye and Syria, according to Maariv.
Following the attack, Washington began working to establish a special mechanism aimed at preventing friction between the three sides, in an effort to contain the tensions and stop them from developing into a broader confrontation that could threaten regional stability.
