Mossad’s director and Syria’s foreign minister held phone talks before Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Idlib province on August 18, 2026. Israel carried out the strike in response to Turkish preparations to establish a permanent military presence at this strategic site located approximately 200 kilometers from its northern border. Ankara denied Israeli claims about its military intentions. U.S. Special Envoy Tom Barrack called the strikes an unnecessary escalation, warning that Israel risked direct confrontation with Turkey, a NATO member. The collapse of the Assad regime in December 2024 has complicated the region’s geopolitical landscape, leaving the new Syrian administration led by Ahmed al-Sharaa facing competing pressures.
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