Syria FM claims Israel was told that Turkey was not building forces before airbase strikes - report

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani told Axios that Syria had informed Israel prior to Tuesday's strikes that Turkey was not building up military forces at the Abu al-Duhur airbase. Shaibani emphasized that there was no intention to establish a Turkish base or permanent military presence at the site. He also stated that the airbase was largely empty at the time of the strikes, and that linking the attack to a Turkish military presence at the base was not supported by the evidence available.

US President Donald Trump confirmed receiving a briefing on the Israeli strikes, but declined to specify if it was before or after the attacks. The Israeli head of Mossad, Roman Gofman, reportedly had a phone call with Shaibani last week to discuss Turkey's military presence in Syria, marking a significant level of contact between the two nations since the end of Assad's rule in December 2014.

Following the strikes, Turkey and Syria both condemned the attack, with Turkey's presidency accusing Netanyahu's office of making unfounded claims to further its own interests ahead of elections. Syria's Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the strikes, calling them an unjustified act of aggression and a violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity.