Israel and Syria hold US-mediated talks in Jordan after Israeli airstrike on Syrian airbase

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Israel and Syria hold US-mediated talks in Jordan after Israeli airstrike on Syrian airbase
Israel strikes Syrian airbase in Idlib as US envoy condemns escalation
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Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with a high-level Israeli delegation led by Mossad Director Roman Gofman in Jordan on Sunday, according to Syrian state media and multiple international outlets. The talks, mediated by the United States, aimed to de-escalate tensions following an Israeli airstrike on Syria’s Abu al-Duhur airbase in northwestern Idlib on Thursday Al Jazeera Yeni Şafak.
Israel stated the strike targeted the airbase to prevent a Turkish military buildup, including drones and radar systems, a claim both Syria and Türkiye denied. Syrian state news agency SANA reported the discussions focused on halting Israeli attacks, arrests, and targeting operations, as well as reviving negotiations for a lasting security agreement. Syria reiterated its sovereignty over the Golan Heights and its right to determine military alliances Al Jazeera ORF.
The Israeli Air Force dropped at least eight bombs on runways and hangars at Abu al-Duhur on Tuesday, which Israel described as a “warning shot” after Syrian denials of Turkish deployment plans. Al-Shaibani told Axios on Wednesday that Turkish officers had visited the base for training and expertise exchange but that Syria had no intention of hosting a permanent Turkish presence. He said he conveyed this to Israel before the strike, but the attack proceeded Axios.
U.S. officials, including envoy Tom Barrack, had urged Israel, Syria, and Türkiye to resume dialogue amid rising tensions. The Sunday talks also addressed preventing the Israel-Türkiye rivalry from spilling into Syrian territory. Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syria since the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024 and entered a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights Al Jazeera.
Syria’s delegation emphasized the need for Israeli troops to withdraw to pre-December 2024 positions and full implementation of the 1974 disengagement agreement. The U.S. has sought a security deal between Israel and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s government for over a year ORF. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan have exchanged sharp rhetoric since the airstrike, with Netanyahu warning of further action if kite and balloon launches from Gaza continue GeoPWatch.
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