Syria Denies Any Turkish Base Plans After Israeli Strike on Abu al-Duhur Airbase

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Axios that there were no plans to establish a Turkish military base at Abu al-Duhur airbase, which Israel struck on Tuesday. He said the site is being rehabilitated for use by the Syrian Air Force and denied claims of a Turkish military build-up.

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Al-Shaibani acknowledged that Turkish military officers had visited the airbase for training and as part of broader military cooperation, but he said the facility was largely empty and not yet operational. "There was no intention to establish a Turkish base there, nor to establish a permanent Turkish military presence or deploy Turkish forces at the site," he told Axios on Wednesday.

"There was no intention to establish a Turkish base there..." — Asaad al-Shaibani, Syrian Foreign Minister (Axios interview)

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel warned Syria before the strike 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 said on Wednesday.

Al-Shaibani rejected the bombing as unjustified and reiterated that Syria remains open to negotiations with Israel aimed at de-escalation. He recalled that the two countries had made significant progress toward a security agreement during a year of U.S.-mediated talks, but said Israel later backed away from commitments and the agreement was not implemented.

Al-Shaibani insisted that any future deal must address the security concerns of both sides and respect Syrian sovereignty, warning that continued Israeli military operations would increase regional instability.

Reporting by Ahmed Tolba in Cairo; Editing by Lincoln Feast.