Syria confirms Turkish officers visited airbase before Israeli strike

Syria's Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani confirmed that Turkish military officers had visited the Abu al-Duhur airbase prior to an Israeli airstrike on Tuesday. He clarified to the media outlet Axios that this visit was part of an "ongoing military cooperation on training and exchange of expertise" and not indicative of a permanent Turkish military presence.

Al-Shaibani emphasized that Syria is actively rebuilding its military and civilian institutions, benefiting from cooperation and training programs with various countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and Russia, in addition to Turkey. He asserted that Israel was informed of no plans to establish a Turkish military base at Abu al-Duhur before the strike.

Despite Syria's assurances, Israel launched at least eight bombs targeting runways and hangars at the airbase, located approximately 70 kilometers from the Turkish border. The attack damaged recently repaired runways, though no casualties were reported. U.S. President Donald Trump acknowledged being informed of the Israeli attack but declined to comment on the timing of the notification.

Israel reportedly justified the strike to the Trump administration as a measure to prevent a Turkish military presence. However, al-Shaibani described the work at the base as limited to rebuilding facilities destroyed during the war, stating the base was largely empty and not yet fully operational. The article notes that rebels overthrew Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, ending a 14-year civil war, and the U.S. has since sought to restore diplomatic ties with Syria.