Mossad Chief Holds Multiple Talks with Syrian FM Before Israeli Airstrike on Abu al-Duhur Base

In the week preceding the Israeli airstrike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria, Mossad Chief Ronen Gofman engaged in several phone conversations with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad, contradicting earlier reports of only one call. Syrian and Western sources revealed that former Mossad head Dedi Barnea participated in earlier direct talks between Syria and Israel. The discussions occurred amid Israeli intelligence reports of Turkish and Syrian activity at the base.

Ahead of the strike, U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Syria envoy Tom Barrett attempted to activate an American-led deconfliction mechanism involving Israel, Turkey, and Syria. Syria conveyed through U.S. intermediaries that the base was not intended for hostile actions against Israel or its neighbors. During the calls, Gofman questioned al-Miqdad about the base's operations, to which the Syrian minister explained that Turkish drones, including Bayraktar models, were deployed for combating ISIS and militias, border security with Iraq and Lebanon, and preventing arms smuggling.

Gofman responded that Israel viewed Turkish activities as a threat and would target runways to disable the base. Despite ongoing U.S.-mediated dialogue, including a meeting between al-Miqdad and Barrett a day before the strike, Syria was caught off guard by the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declined U.S. efforts to resolve the issue through the deconfliction channel. A Syrian official told the Saudi magazine Al-Majalla that Syria seeks to avoid becoming a battleground between Turkey and Israel but criticized Israel for repeatedly rejecting security agreements brokered by the U.S. The official dismissed Israeli claims about a Turkish military presence inside Syria as absurd, noting Turkish bases are located only 70 kilometers inside Turkey, questioning the strategic value of establishing a base within Syrian territory.