Syrian Foreign Minister Asad Shaybani clarified that there are no plans to establish a Turkish military base at the Abu al-Duhur airbase, which was targeted by Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday. He emphasized that the site is being renovated for use by the Syrian Air Force.
Shaybani noted that Turkish military personnel visited the base as part of broader military training and cooperation, denying any Turkish military reinforcements, and asserting that the facility remains largely deserted and work is yet to commence.
In an interview with Axios, Shaybani stated, "There are no intentions to establish a Turkish base there, nor to deploy a permanent Turkish military presence or Turkish forces at the site."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Israel had warned Syria against allowing a Turkish presence at the base prior to the strike. Netanyahu added, "Our message was very clear. Do not do this. I believe they didn't fully grasp the message."
Shaybani stressed that Israel had no legitimate justification for the attack.
He affirmed that Syria remains open to negotiations with Israel to defuse tensions. He noted that both sides had made significant progress towards an agreement on security during year-long U.S.-mediated talks, but Israel later reneged on its commitments and the agreement was not implemented.