Daijiworld Media Network – Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Aug 19: A recent Israeli airstrike on a Syrian military airbase has raised concerns in the United States over the possibility of an unintended confrontation involving Israel, Turkey and Syria.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday confirmed that Israel had carried out a strike on Abu al-Duhur airbase in Idlib, Syria. The Syrian government said eight airstrikes targeted the runway and storage facilities at the base, located around 70 kilometres from the Turkish border.

US Ambassador to Turkey and Trump administration special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said the operation carried a serious risk of rapid escalation because Turkish forces were reportedly unaware that Israeli aircraft were heading towards the Syrian base.

Barrack said Turkish forces could potentially have interpreted the movement of Israeli aircraft as an attack on their own positions and responded by scrambling fighter jets. He described the situation as serious and worrying, while noting that no lives were lost and the incident did not escalate further.

The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said Syria had been on the verge of violating a security-related status quo agreed with Israel by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the airbase. Israel had repeatedly warned Damascus that such a deployment would pose a security threat, the office said.

Barrack said the absence of reliable communication channels between the parties had increased the danger of an unintended escalation. He said the United States was involved in discussions aimed at reviving a deconfliction mechanism between Israel and Syria, with Turkey potentially participating directly or indirectly.

According to Barrack, a permanent communication mechanism involving personnel fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, English and Turkish could help prevent misunderstandings and reduce the risk of military confrontation.

The US envoy said earlier discussions between Syrian and Israeli officials had made progress on security concerns, border arrangements and possible economic cooperation. He said there was value in restarting those talks at the earliest opportunity in light of recent developments.

One major concern for Israel has been the possible deployment of Turkish military personnel or equipment at Syrian bases close to its border. Israeli officials have previously expressed concern over Turkish radar equipment in Syria, fearing that systems capable of tracking aircraft over a wide area could affect Israel's military operations in Syrian airspace.

Barrack said the US believed that civilian radar infrastructure needed for safe aviation did not necessarily pose a threat to Israel. He called for further discussions to address the concerns of all sides and stressed that reducing tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem should remain an immediate priority.

He also said that maintaining open diplomatic communication was essential to preventing military incidents from escalating. According to Barrack, a structured de-escalation arrangement could help bring greater stability and predictability to the region.