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

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani informed Axios on Wednesday that Syria had previously assured Israel that it was not collaborating with Turkey to establish a military presence at the Abu al-Duhur airbase before the Israeli strikes on Tuesday. Shaibani asserted that "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 also claimed the airbase was "largely empty" during the strikes. This follows a phone call last week between Mossad head Roman Gofman and Shaibani, discussing Turkey's military presence in Syria. Both Turkey and Syria condemned the Israeli attack, with Turkey's presidency attributing Israel's actions to "expansionist and destabilizing policies." US President Donald Trump confirmed he was briefed on the strikes but declined further comment, stating, "I can't talk about it."