Israel, Syria hold US-mediated talks amid Turkey tensions

Syria and Israel held high-level, US-mediated talks in Jordan on Sunday to de-escalate tensions following an Israeli strike on the Abu Duhur airbase in northwestern Syria, which Israel said was intended to prevent Turkish troops from deploying there. The talks, which included Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Mossad chief Roman Gofman, focused on halting Israeli attacks and reviving negotiations for a security agreement Source: Al Jazeera. Syria's immediate priorities remain an Israeli withdrawal to pre-December 2024 positions and the full restoration of the 1974 disengagement agreement Source: CNA.

The Abu Duhur strike

On August 18, Israel bombed the disused Abu Duhur airbase, claiming Syria was "on the verge of breaching" a security agreement by allowing Turkish troops to deploy there Source: BBC. Syria and Turkey denied the allegations, with Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shaibani saying there was "no intention to establish a Turkish base there" Source: DW. The US called the strike an "unnecessary escalation" Source: BBC. US envoy Tom Barrack suggested Israel may have been "baiting the Turks," while Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz insisted the strike was based on "clear intelligence" and that Israel had alerted US authorities Source: AP.

Israel-Turkey rivalry

The strike highlighted growing competition between Israel and Turkey for influence in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Israel views a potential Turkish military presence in Syria as a red line, while Turkey has become a key ally of Syria's new government Source: Foreign Policy. Analysts say Israel's primary audience is the Trump administration, as it seeks to convince Washington that tensions with Turkey could escalate Source: Foreign Policy.

Golan Heights controversy

US envoy Tom Barrack sparked a backlash by saying Israel "still" occupies the Golan Heights, contradicting President Trump's 2019 recognition of Israeli sovereignty. Barrack later walked back the comments, saying they described historical status, not US policy Source: AP.