Mossad Chief Discusses Turkey's Military Presence with Syrian FM

Mossad chief Roman Gofman engaged in a phone call with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani last week to discuss the implications of Turkey's military presence in Syria, as reported by Reuters. This conversation occurred on August 14, shortly before Israel executed airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur airbase located in the eastern Idlib region. The dialogue represents one of the highest-level exchanges between Israel and the new Syrian government since the ousting of former President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

The Prime Minister's Office, which oversees matters related to the Mossad, confirmed the security concerns that prompted the airstrikes. They stated that Israel and Syria had previously agreed to maintain a status quo regarding security, which Syria was close to violating by allowing Turkish troops to be stationed at an airbase near Aleppo. The Prime Minister's Office emphasized that Israel had repeatedly warned Syria about the potential threats posed by such a deployment, which Syria chose to disregard. They reiterated that Israel would not tolerate any threats to its security and expressed a desire to return to the established status quo.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the airstrikes, asserting Israel's opposition to a Turkish military buildup in Syria. He stated, "We will not tolerate a Turkish military presence in Syria that threatens Israel. We made the message clear: Don’t. Apparently, they didn’t hear it clearly enough, so we made sure they understood it better."

Reports from Arab media indicated that four airstrikes targeted the runway at Abu al-Duhur early Tuesday morning. The specific aircraft involved in the strikes were not identified, but it was noted that the strikes caused significant damage to the runway without resulting in any injuries.

On Wednesday, IDF Chief of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir visited the 210th Division and inspected the security zone in southern Syria, where he reiterated that Israel would not permit hostile forces or significant military threats to establish themselves along its borders. He remarked on the ongoing situation, stating, "We see what is happening and are monitoring the changes on the Syrian front - we must prepare for them accordingly. We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves on our borders, and we will know how to use our operational capabilities precisely where and when needed."

Zamir emphasized the need for the IDF to address both terrorist infrastructure and the emergence of conventional military threats near Israel. He stated, "We must prevent the development of terrorist threats, while also preventing the formation of a significant military threat on our borders. We are still in a multi-front war, alert and operating in all arenas - escalation can develop in any one of them, and we must remain in constant readiness for that."

He concluded by praising the 210th Division and the reservists serving in the sector, acknowledging the significant burden they have shouldered during the ongoing conflict. "The entire people of Israel are deeply indebted to you," Zamir remarked.