US Says Intelligence Behind Israeli Strike on Syrian Air Base Was Wrong
The United States says intelligence that allegedly prompted Israel to strike a Syrian military air base was incorrect, raising questions about the decision behind the attack and possible communication failures between Israel and its allies.
US Ambassador to Ankara and Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq Tom Barrack said Israel had received information suggesting that Türkiye was preparing to move military assets to the abandoned Abu al-Duhur Air Base in Syria’s Idlib province.
According to Barrack, Israel shared the intelligence with Washington, which then consulted US intelligence agencies. Their assessment, he said, was that the claim was not true.
Barrack also suggested there may have been a communication problem between the Israeli military, Mossad and the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office. He said neither the US nor Türkiye had been informed about the Israeli strike in advance.
Israel had claimed that Turkish forces were attempting to establish a presence at the base and deploy military installations farther south. Israeli warplanes subsequently carried out multiple strikes on the facility.
Syrian officials said the attacks targeted the runway and an inactive hangar structure. No casualties or injuries were immediately reported.
The US statement could further complicate already tense relations between Israel and Türkiye over Ankara’s military role in Syria, while raising questions about how Israeli intelligence was assessed before the strike.
