Tel Aviv [Israel], August 19 (ANI): Israel and Syria had agreed to maintain a status quo on security matters, but Syria was on the verge of breaching the understanding by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo, the Prime Minister's Office of Israel said on Tuesday.

In a post shared on X, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to its security.

'The Prime Minister's Office: Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo. Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel's security. Syria chose to ignore these warnings,' the post read.

'Israel will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo,' it added.

https://x.com/IsraeliPM/status/2089809527474651419

The statement came after reports of Israeli airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur Airbase in Syria, with the US Special Presidential Envoy for Syria and Iraq, Tom Barrack, expressing concern over what he called an 'unnecessary escalation.'

Barrack said the confirmed Israeli airstrikes did not contribute to regional stability and highlighted Syria's recent efforts towards de-escalation with Israel.

'We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability,' Barrack said in a post on X.

He added that the United States would continue to support dialogue and engagement over further military escalation.

'The United States continues to believe that restraint and engagement offer the more constructive course. We encourage all parties to prioritise logical discourse over further military incidents,' Barrack said.

Earlier, Syria had accused Israel of violating its sovereignty following the strikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in Idlib province.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry described the strikes as a 'flagrant violation of Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity' and warned that such actions could increase tensions in the region.

Jordan and Qatar also condemned the strikes, calling for an end to what they described as Israeli aggression against Syria, while Turkey urged the international community to take action.

The Abu al-Duhur airbase was targeted in four airstrikes, marking the first reported attack on the facility since the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government in December 2024. (ANI)