Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani told Axios Wednesday that he made clear to Israel his government wasn't working with Turkey to amass a military presence at a Syrian airbase — but Israel went ahead and attacked the site anyway. Why it matters: The early Tuesday morning strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase has heightened tensions among three close U.S. partners in the region, just as the Trump administration is trying to prevent further escalation. What they're saying: "[T]here was no intention to establish a Turkish base there, nor to establish a permanent Turkish military presence or deploy Turkish forces at the site," Al-Shaibani said in one of eight written responses to questions from Axios. - Meanwhile, President Trump told…
How did President Trump respond when asked about the Israeli strike in a phone call with Axios?
President Trump said, "I can't talk about it," and declined to say whether his briefing on the strike occurred before or after the event.
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What is the current stance of the Syrian government regarding negotiations with Israel to de-escalate border tensions?
The Syrian government remains interested in reaching an agreement to de-escalate, with Al-Shaibani stating that Syria does not close the door on negotiations and believes political and security solutions are the most sustainable path to stability.
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What was Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's response regarding the strike in a video posted on X?
Netanyahu stated that Israel had warned Syria ahead of the strike not to allow a Turkish presence at the base, saying, "Our message was very clear: Don't. I guess they didn't quite understand the message."
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How did Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani describe the work being conducted at the Abu al-Duhur airbase prior to the strike?
Al-Shaibani stated that the work was limited to rehabilitating the airfield and its facilities, which had been damaged during the war, for use by the Syrian Air Force, and noted the base was largely empty and not yet fully operational.
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