Turkish Defence Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said during a weekly briefing in Ankara that attacks on the Abu al-Duhur facility threatened Syria’s security, stability and unity. "In this context, we will resolutely continue our efforts to protect Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Akturk told reporters.

The ministry also said Türkiye would continue supporting Syrian efforts to develop the country’s military capabilities and infrastructure. Ankara has strengthened security cooperation with Damascus as Syria rebuilds state institutions and military facilities following years of conflict.

Akturk denied that Turkish forces were stationed at Abu al-Duhur when Israel attacked the facility early Tuesday. He said no Turkish military delegation was present at the airbase before or during the Israeli operation, rejecting Israeli assertions of an impending Turkish deployment there.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani separately said Damascus had informed Israel that it had no plans to establish a Turkish military base or permanent Turkish troop presence at Abu al-Duhur. He said the facility was being rehabilitated for use by the Syrian Air Force rather than as a permanent base for Türkiye.

The Israeli strike damaged parts of the Abu al-Duhur airbase, according to the information provided, as Israel warned that Damascus was approaching what it described as a breach of the existing security status quo by potentially allowing Turkish forces to deploy there. No independently verified casualty figures were provided.

Diplomat News Network could not independently verify the extent of damage at the airbase or confirm military activity at the facility beyond the statements issued by Syrian, Turkish and Israeli officials.

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz on Thursday accused Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of leading Türkiye into "dangerous adventures in Syria.” In a warning apparently directed at Ankara, Katz said Israel would not permit any entity to threaten its security.

The dispute highlights increasingly competing security priorities in Syria. Türkiye has pledged continued assistance for rebuilding Syrian military capabilities, while Israel has repeatedly framed military developments inside Syria through the lens of potential threats to its security.

The Abu al-Duhur episode also illustrates the risks surrounding Türkiye’s expanding defence cooperation with Damascus. Any further military deployments or Israeli strikes could complicate efforts to stabilize Syria and increase friction between two major regional powers operating around the country.

For Damascus, the dispute places the reconstruction of its military infrastructure within a broader regional contest over security arrangements. Statements from Ankara, Damascus and Israel indicate that Abu al-Duhur has become a focal point in that debate, even as Syrian officials insist the facility is intended for their own air force.