Syria rejects claims of permanent Turkish military base following Israeli strikes

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani has categorically denied plans to establish a permanent Turkish military presence at the Abu al-Duhur airbase near Aleppo. Speaking in an interview with the US news outlet Axios, al-Shaibani clarified that while Turkish military officials had visited the site, their presence was strictly for training and broader military cooperation. He emphasised that the facility was largely empty and that there was no intention to deploy Turkish forces or construct a base, a position he stated had been made clear to Israel.

The diplomatic clarification follows eight Israeli air strikes on the base’s runway and storage facilities earlier in the week. State media reported that the attack, which drew international condemnation, marked the first time Israel had targeted Syrian government assets since March. No casualties were reported from the strikes. Al-Shaibani argued that Israel had no legitimate justification for the attack, noting that while Syria remains open to negotiations on de-escalation, any future agreement must address the security concerns of both nations.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that Israel had issued a warning to Syria ahead of the strike, instructing them 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,” Netanyahu stated. The Israeli government’s position suggests that the strikes were a direct response to perceived shifts in the security landscape in Syria, where both Israeli and Turkish militaries are active.

Tensions between the two nations have escalated further following remarks by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. On Thursday, Katz accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of “dragging Turkiye into dangerous adventures in Syria.” Katz warned that Israel would not allow any entity to threaten its security, suggesting it was preferable for Erdogan to continue delivering speeches in the Turkish parliament rather than testing Israel’s resolve to defend itself.

Ankara has firmly rejected these allegations, describing them as “untenable.” The Turkish defence ministry stated that no military delegation was present at the airbase before or during the attacks. Ankara affirmed its continued support for Syria’s efforts to develop its own military capacity and infrastructure. The ministry called on the international community to take concrete and effective measures against Israel’s actions, which it argued threatened regional peace and stability.

The incident underscores the fragile diplomatic balance in the region. Turkiye, a NATO member, has emerged as a key ally of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and has accused Israel of attempting to destabilise Syria and undermine its new administration. Despite last year’s establishment of a line of communication between Turkiye and Israel to avoid incidents in Syria, the recent strikes indicate that the mechanism has not prevented further escalation.