Israel launches fresh Syria strike after US criticism
DAMASCUS: Israel carried out a fresh strike in Syria on Saturday and lambasted US envoy Tom Barrack for criticising an earlier attack on an air base in the northwest, which Israel has accused Turkiye of seeking to use.
Israel carried out a fresh military strike in Syria on Saturday, after US envoy Tom Barrack criticized a previous attack on a disused air base. Barrack labeled the assault as an "unnecessary escalation" that does not contribute to regional stability. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz responded by calling Barrack's remarks "full of inaccuracies," accusing the envoy of suggesting the strike was intended to provoke conflict with Turkey.
Israel has conducted numerous strikes in Syria since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, including sending troops into a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights. The territory was captured by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli War and annexed in a move recognized only by the United States and Colombia.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Turkey, an ally of Damascus, intended to establish a military presence at the air base. Turkey denied the allegations, and Ankara has sought an Interpol red notice against Netanyahu, accusing him of "genocide" related to the interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Syrian state television reported that an individual was injured when an Israeli drone targeted a vehicle near the Golan Heights.
Israel acknowledged the strike, stating it was directed at a fighter preparing to attack. The Israeli military vowed to maintain forces in a security zone in southern Syria, aiming to create a broader demilitarized area.
Written by urgent.news from New Straits Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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