UN warns of concerning Israeli escalation in Syria, urges respect for its sovereignty
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – UN Deputy Special Envoy for Syria Claudio Cordone warned of the escalating Israeli attacks on Syrian territory, describing the current level of escalation as “concerning” and stressing the need to respect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Cordone’s remarks came after Israeli airstrikes targeted the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Idlib governorate near the Turkish border.
In a post on X, Cordone described the latest strike as a “deplorable escalation” and stressed that diplomacy should remain the primary path to address the situation. He also called for full respect for Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, the 1974 Disengagement of Forces Agreement and relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
The strikes also prompted Washington to step in to prevent tensions between Israel, Turkey and Syria from escalating further.
U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said Washington was working to establish a deconfliction mechanism among the three countries following the Israeli strike. Barrack, who also serves as the U.S. ambassador to Turkey, told Reuters that the mechanism was intended to prevent misunderstandings and accidental confrontations between the parties. (Reuters)
Barrack said Turkey had not received advance notice of the Israeli strike. Turkish authorities subsequently tracked Israeli aircraft as they headed north, a situation that could have opened the door to a possible Turkish military response, he said.
The U.S. envoy said diplomatic interventions helped prevent the situation from developing into a more dangerous confrontation. Washington is seeking arrangements that would prevent similar incidents from recurring, he added.
The Israeli airstrikes hit Abu al-Duhur airbase on Tuesday. Syrian state media reported damage to the facility, while no casualties were reported. Israel did not immediately comment on the strikes.
The attack came amid growing tensions over Turkey’s military cooperation with Syria. Israel has expressed concerns over a possible Turkish military presence at the base, while Damascus has denied plans to establish a permanent Turkish military base there.