Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani made notable remarks on the rising tensions in the region following Israel’s attacks on Syria.
Al-Shibani said Israel was trying to prevent Syria from regaining stability and stated that the Damascus government’s primary goal was to rebuild the country after years of war.
“We want to rebuild the country and ensure the stability of Syria and the region. We do not want to go to war with Israel, and we want it to stop its aggression against Syria.”
Al-Shibani’s remarks came after Israel carried out airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur Air Base in northwestern Syria on August 18.
Israel struck the Abu al-Duhur Air Base
Israeli fighter jets targeted the Abu al-Duhur Air Base in at least eight airstrikes, causing damage to the runway and storage areas. No fatalities were reported in the attack.
The Israeli government argued that the attack was carried out to prevent the deployment of Turkish troops at the air base and the expansion of Turkey’s military presence in Syria.
Turkey rejected Israel’s claims and described the attack as a violation of Syria’s sovereignty.
Damascus: No Turkish base was planned
In earlier remarks, al-Shibani said there were no plans to establish a permanent Turkish military base at Abu al-Duhur or to permanently deploy Turkish troops there.
Al-Shibani said the Syrian government had conveyed this to Israel before the attack, but that the air base was nevertheless struck.
The Damascus government also stresses that Syria has the right to rebuild its own military and civilian institutions and to conduct training and cooperation programs with different countries.
US also called the attack an “unnecessary escalation”
Israel’s attack drew a reaction not only from Syria and Turkey but also from Washington.
Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria, described the attack as “an unnecessary escalation” and said tensions in the region needed to be reduced.
Washington is seeking to strengthen communication and deconfliction mechanisms between Turkey, Syria and Israel in order to prevent a direct military confrontation among the three sides.
Al-Shibani: Our priority is rebuilding Syria
The Damascus government stresses that it does not want to enter into a direct military confrontation with Israel and prefers the issue to be resolved through diplomatic means.
Al-Shibani noted that Syria had entered a period of reconstruction after years of war and argued that Israel’s ongoing military operations threatened the stability not only of Syria but of the entire region.
The Syrian government is calling on Israel to stop its attacks, respect the country’s sovereignty and resolve disputes through political and diplomatic channels.
