Israeli Airstrikes in Syria Trigger "Rare Conflict" with the U.S.

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, August 23 - According to a report by the Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" on the 23rd, a "rare conflict" has occurred between the United States and Israel following the Israeli military's airstrike on a Syrian military facility adjacent to the Turkish border last week. The Israeli side claims that Turkey's military deployment in the area poses a threat to Israel, while the American side believes that Israel is attempting to "deliberately provoke Turkey" for domestic political reasons.

Recently, the Israeli military conducted an airstrike on the Abu al-Zuhour Air Base in Syria. The Israeli side stated that intelligence indicated Turkey planned to establish a military presence at the base, including deploying air defense systems, drones, and sending military advisors to assist the Syrian army in training and operating related equipment. Therefore, the Israeli side took preemptive action.

However, the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria, David Satterfield, stated in a recent interview that Israel may be trying to "deliberately provoke Turkey, which is a very aggressive but potentially effective pre-election strategy." If a direct conflict erupts between Israel and Turkey, it could help Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu win the upcoming parliamentary elections.

"Haaretz" believes that the Israeli government has been continuously amplifying security threats from directions such as Lebanon, Gaza, the West Bank, and Syria in recent years, and is constantly creating a sense of crisis through hardline statements.

Israeli Defense Minister Katz stated on the 22nd that there are "many errors" in Satterfield's remarks. The Israeli military had previously suggested striking the base multiple times, citing "clear intelligence" indicating that Turkey's related actions could threaten Israel's security.

The Israeli side also stated that before launching the airstrike, they had issued multiple warnings to both Turkey and Syria, and intended to choose a time to attack before Turkish personnel had been stationed at the base to avoid causing casualties among Turkish military personnel.

Currently, U.S. President Trump has not publicly commented on the Israeli military's airstrike in Syria. According to "Haaretz," this public confrontation between the U.S. and Israel is relatively rare. In recent years, although there have been differences between the two sides on issues such as Gaza, they have mainly handled them through private communication. Currently, the U.S. reservations regarding its policy towards Israel are mainly focused on issues in Gaza and the West Bank, and it is privately pressuring Netanyahu. (Gao Bingbing)