From the Liveblog of
Saturday, August 22, 2026
Katz says Israel directly warned ‘highest levels’ of Syrian regime before giving IDF green light to strike air base
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleEmanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
Defense Minister Israel Katz says the Israeli military had recommended “several times” striking Syria’s Abu Duhur military airport due to Turkey’s alleged plans to deploy forces there, and that the political echelon directly warned the Syrian government to prevent the move before authorizing a strike.
The Israeli Air Force struck the airbase overnight Monday. The military remained silent on the attack, but it was later confirmed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Some, including US Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, have accused Israel’s leaders of ordering the strike to influence the upcoming elections.
“The IDF recommended several times carrying out the strike on the Abu Duhur airport in Syria in light of the clear intelligence received regarding Turkey’s intentions to carry out activities there that would endanger the security of the State of Israel,” Katz says in a statement.
Katz says that after several discussions held with Netanyahu and the military, “it was agreed that before granting approval [for the strike], a direct warning would be issued to the Syrian regime at the highest levels in an attempt to prevent the move, and that is what was done.”
“At the same time, the intelligence was conveyed to the relevant authorities in the United States,” the defense minister says.
After Israel’s warning “went unanswered,” Katz says he and Netanyahu “authorized the IDF to carry out the strike, and it was successfully carried out.”
“The attempt by opposition figures and parts of the media to paint the operation in Syria in political colors stems from a combination of ignorance, a lack of understanding of Israel’s security interests, and a constant desire to attack the government, and deserves condemnation,” Katz says.
He also adds that remarks by Barrack, who also said Israel was illegally occupying the Golan Heights, “is full of inaccuracies and positions that contradict the position of US President Trump.”
The Times of Israel Community.