Syria Warns Trump Over Israel’s Intentions After Airbase Strike, Citing Turkey Tensions

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani has told the Trump administration that Damascus does not trust Israel’s intentions towards Syria, days after Israeli airstrikes hit a military airbase in northern Syria.

Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase on Tuesday, dropping at least eight bombs on its runways and hangars. The attack damaged recently rebuilt infrastructure, but no casualties were reported.

According to US and Israeli officials, Israel told the Trump administration that the operation was intended to prevent Turkey from establishing a military presence at the base. Israeli officials had expressed concern over a possible Turkish military buildup in the area.

Syria, however, has rejected the claim. Al-Shaibani told Axios that Damascus had already informed Israel that there were no plans for a permanent Turkish military presence at Abu al-Duhur.

“There was no intention to establish a Turkish base there,” Al-Shaibani said, adding that Syria also had no plans to permanently deploy Turkish forces at the site.

Why Was The Airbase Being Repaired?

Al-Shaibani said the facility was being repaired after suffering damage during Syria’s war. The goal, he said, was to restore the base so that the Syrian Air Force could eventually use it again.

The foreign minister said the airbase was largely empty, had not been fully repaired and was not operational at the time of the Israeli strike. Syria therefore saw no reason to interpret the repair work as preparations for a Turkish military base.

Turkish military officers had visited the facility several days before the attack. According to Al-Shaibani, however, their visits were part of broader military cooperation, including training and the exchange of expertise.

Israel Had Warned Damascus

Israel has maintained that the strike was necessary because of concerns over Turkey’s potential military presence in Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Syria had previously been warned against allowing a Turkish military presence at the airbase. Israeli officials also conveyed their concerns to Washington before the operation.

US President Donald Trump said he had been briefed about the Israeli strike but did not indicate whether he supported it. He also did not disclose when he received the briefing.

Syria Seeks To Prevent Further Escalation

Al-Shaibani said Damascus had been in contact with both Israel and the US before the attack and had explained that the airbase would remain under Syrian control.

Following the strike, Syria contacted Washington and other countries to protest the operation. Damascus also called for measures to prevent further Israeli attacks and argued that Syrian territory should not become a battleground for broader regional disputes.

Despite the tensions, Al-Shaibani said Syria remains open to negotiations with Israel over security arrangements along their shared border.

He said Damascus and Israel had spent roughly a year discussing a possible security agreement with US mediation. The talks had reportedly made progress, with a framework agreed on paper, but the arrangement was never implemented.

Al-Shaibani said Syria is prepared to resume negotiations if both sides are willing to address their security concerns. Damascus also wants any future agreement to respect Syrian sovereignty and contribute to reducing regional tensions.