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🇶🇦 Qatar /Conflict & Security

Envoy Says Israel Did Not Warn U.S. Before Syria Strikes

From Al Jazeera · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Syria envoy Tom Barrack accused Israel of not providing adequate warning before conducting strikes on a Syrian military base.
  • Israeli officials denied the claim, stating they shared intelligence with "authorized parties in the United States" prior to the attack.
  • The incident adds tension to regional dynamics, with Turkey criticizing the strikes as "reckless" and the U.S. attempting to broker de-escalation.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, has accused Israel of failing to provide sufficient warning before carrying out military strikes on the Abu Duhur military base in northern Syria. Barrack described the Israeli actions as an "unnecessary escalation" and suggested the attacks might have been intended to provoke Turkey, which holds significant influence in the region.

unnecessary escalation

— Tom BarrackU.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria, describing the Israeli strikes.

However, Israeli officials have strongly refuted Barrack's claims. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on social media that intelligence information was shared with "authorized parties in the United States" before the strike on Tuesday. Katz also criticized Barrack's comments as "full of inaccuracies and positions that contradict the stance of U.S. President [Donald] Trump himself" regarding the Golan Heights, territory captured from Syria in 1967 and annexed by Israel, a move recognized by the Trump administration in 2019 but considered occupied under international law.

Israel has intensified its operations in Syria in recent months, drawing criticism from Turkey, which blasted the Israeli strikes as "reckless." The U.S. has been attempting to mediate de-escalation efforts between the involved parties. Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa has indicated his government does not seek conflict with Israel.

intelligence information to the authorised parties in the United States

— Israel KatzIsraeli Defense Minister's response to claims of no warning before the strike.

Despite occasional criticisms of Israel's military actions, the Trump administration has maintained a policy of strong, near-unconditional support for Israel, viewing it as a "great ally." This stance has limited concrete measures to pressure Israel regarding its military campaigns in Syria. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly justified the strikes by citing concerns that Turkey was preparing to deploy troops to the area.

full of inaccuracies and positions that contradict the stance of U.S. President [Donald] Trump himself

— Israel KatzIsraeli Defense Minister's criticism of U.S. envoy Tom Barrack's comments.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Al Jazeera in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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