Reuters reported, citing sources, that the new Mossad director, Gofman, held a phone call with the Syrian Foreign Minister on August 14, 2026, regarding the Turkish military presence in Syria. Subsequently, the Jewish entity struck the Abu al-Duhur military airport in the eastern countryside of Idlib on Tuesday, August 18, 2026, carrying out eight airstrikes that targeted the airport's runways and hangars. It justified the action by citing a prior agreement to maintain the status quo regarding security matters, claiming Syria was on the verge of breaching this agreement by allowing Turkish forces to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo.

Meanwhile, US Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack stated that he the US is working diligently on a de-confliction mechanism involving the Jewish entity, Syria, and Turkey. He noted that Turkey “consequently observed the aircraft heading north toward its territory and therefore could have reasonably prepared its own response.” He stressed, “Thankfully, calm heads were able to prevent the situation from deteriorating further.” He added that these incidents will continue until October 27, 2026—the date of the Jewish entity’s elections—while Axios reported that the Trump administration had asked Syria to exercise restraint until after those elections.

As for the stance of the transitional administration in Damascus, Foreign Minister Al-Shaibani stated, “There was no intention to establish a Turkish base at Abu al-Duhur Airport, nor to create a permanent Turkish military presence or deploy Turkish troops; this message was clearly conveyed to the ‘Israeli’ side. Syria remains committed to diplomacy to dissuade ‘Israel’ from continuing its aggression. We condemn the ‘Israeli’ attack on the Abu al-Duhur military airport; it constitutes an unjustified provocation, a violation of Syria's sovereignty, and a threat to regional and global stability. We attempted to reach an agreement with ‘Israeli’, but it reneged on its commitments; we remain interested in reaching a de-escalation agreement with ‘Israel.’”

Axios quoted Al-Shaibani as saying, “I clarified to ‘Israel’ that we were not cooperating with Turkey on a military buildup at the base, yet they launched the attack.” The same outlet added that the Syrian government had been pushing for weeks to implement an agreement with the US and the Jewish entity to establish a joint coordination center in Jordan, aimed at managing such incidents and preventing escalation. However, the entity rejected the proposal and intensified its army's incursions into southern Syria.

Hebrew media described the strike on Abu al-Duhur Airbase as an “election campaign move by Netanyahu in Idlib,” while US Ambassador to the Jewish entity Mike Huckabee stated that the strikes were not intentional in themselves, but instead a “warning message” prompted by Turkish movements in the region. Asharq Al-Awsat reported, “Over the past two weeks, the ‘Israeli’ army has carried out 27 airstrikes and 36 ground incursions into Syria, and arrested 11 Syrian citizens. This has been accompanied by threats from political and military officials directed at Turkey—accused of establishing military bases on Syrian soil—allegations that both Ankara and Damascus officially deny.”

Since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad, the Jewish entity has been targeting Syrian military infrastructure across land, sea, and air. Its forces run rampant in the south and north—roaming, arresting, interrogating, and wreaking havoc with impunity. Netanyahu and his Defense Minister, Katz, even tour southern Syria—all amidst a strange, suspicious silence that leaves the prudent utterly bewildered!

What humiliation and disgrace lie in groveling before the enemies of Allah out of fear of their wrath, or in pursuit of a reconciliation and a “peace” that are merely illusory! Have these people not yet learned that the Jews are a people of malice, treachery, deceit, and covenant-breaking? Are they not the murderers of the Prophets (as)?

Have they not yet realized that the only language the Jews understand is the language of arms and the Takbir (“Allahu Akbar”) on the battlefields of honor, heroism, and valor? The path to salvation is known, as are its gateway and its key. Excuses citing the need for preparation, the priority of stability, reconstruction, and economic recovery are nothing but false pretexts; America and its Jewish protégé will spare no effort to prevent Syria from acquiring any significant sources of power—save for the kind of control that merely keeps the people from confronting the brutal enemy that desecrates our land day and night! Have they not yet grasped the true nature of America? It presents itself as a protector and ally to the current administration, yet in reality, it acts like a thief who incites other thieves to commit a crime, only to then step forward as the savior. America—which holds its “protection” over the Damascus administration’s head, claiming that without it, all of Syria would have fallen into the clutches of the Jews, all to coerce the regime into further submission to its dictates. America—which opposes a strong army for Syria, fearing that the situation might slip out of control and the reins of power might be seized by the sincere leaders who emerged from years of revolution and Jihad.

America seeks to restructure the security and military forces to suit its own agenda, aiming to strip away the spirit of revolutionary and Jihad that has taken root over the past fourteen years. It does this by suppressing the sincere elements while empowering remnants of the old guard, the cronies of Al-Hajari—a lackey of the Jews—, and SDF elements—even placing them in positions of decision-making authority.

As for the strike on Abu al-Duhur Airbase: despite the betrayal by the rulers of Muslims and their submission to their masters’ dictates, the Jews are terrified by the prospect of any rapprochement between Islamic lands. They fear the Muslims’ formidable might and their yearning for complete liberation from the yoke of humiliation, disgrace, and subservience to the colonialist disbeliever, as well as their burning desire to liberate the First Qibla. For the Jews, the issue of Ash-Sham is more dangerous than any other issue; they view it as the inevitable source of an existential threat. This was clearly articulated by the Jewish entity’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Amichai Chikli, who issued unprecedented warnings. He asserted that a military confrontation between his entity and Syria is inevitable—bound to happen sooner or later—and deemed the recent rapprochement between Damascus and Ankara a threat even more dangerous than the Iranian nuclear issue. The Jews are consumed by a terror that gnaws at their hearts and preys upon their minds; they perceive every shout as a threat directed at them. Consequently, they engage in displays of inflated power as a preemptive measure, seeking to delude themselves into believing in a military superiority they view as their lifeline—especially now that the bond with Allah (swt) has been severed and the support of mankind is eroding, all amidst a palpable shift in global sentiment, even within Europe and America, against this Jewish entity.

Consider the depravity, malice, and criminality of the monstrous Jewish entity against the Islamic Ummah in Gaza and elsewhere—indeed, neither human, tree, nor stone has been spared its harm.

Yes, the rampaging of the Jews in southern Syria and beyond plays into the atmosphere of terror and dread gripping the hearts of those who cling most desperately to life—and this despite the limited military equipment and supplies and Muslims. Imagine, then, the impact of massive, organized armies led by the Khaleefah (Caliph) of the Muslims! By the Permission of Allah, a great good is surely coming; blessed are those who strive, support, and aid the cause, working for the exaltation of the Deen of Allah (swt) and the establishment of Islamic ruling governance and the Islamic State.

* Member of the Media Office of Hizb ut Tahrir in Wilayah Syria