Trump’s envoy to i24NEWS: We were a step away from direct military confrontation between Turkey and Israel

The US Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, who also serves as President Donald Trump's envoy to Syria, told i24NEWS on Wednesday that the Israeli airstrike on the Abu al-Duhur military airbase in Syria "carried a real risk of rapidly escalating to a direct military confrontation between Israel and Turkey, as well as with Syria."

“The Turkish forces did not know that Israeli aircraft were on their way to this specific Syrian base, nor did they know what their objective was. Therefore, they might have decided to scramble their own fighter jets, believing they themselves were under attack,” Barrack said in an interview with i24NEWS. He added, “Yesterday’s events were serious and worrying. However, we are relieved that no lives were lost and that the situation did not escalate.”

Syria reported on Tuesday that Israel carried out eight airstrikes on the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base, near Aleppo in northwestern Syria, about 70 kilometers east of the Turkish border. The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated later on Tuesday that Syria was on the verge of violating the "status quo agreed upon with Israel regarding security matters" by allowing Turkish forces to deploy at the airbase.

"Israel has repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel's security. Syria chose to ignore these warnings," said a statement from Netanyahu's office.

Barrack told i24NEWS that the lack of clear communication channels could have caused the situation to become “much more serious” — and that this needs to be changed.

“We are currently conducting quiet talks with all relevant parties regarding the renewal of a mechanism to prevent friction between Israel and Syria. Turkey can be invited to participate, either directly or indirectly,” said Barrack. According to him, “There would be clear value in turning such an arrangement into a permanent, full-time mechanism, with a coordination center staffed around the clock by personnel who speak Hebrew, Arabic, English, and Turkish—whether within a formal framework or via a more flexible, informal channel. Reliable communication remains essential.”

Trump's envoy said that the very absence of reliable communication channels creates an unnecessary risk. "There is no substantive impediment preventing these parties from keeping communication channels open. Diplomatic dialogue is the best way to prevent kinetic interactions," he said.

In recent years, Barrack has hosted several rounds of talks between the Syrian regime of al-Sharaa and senior Israeli officials, in an attempt to reach a border agreement between the countries, promote normalization, and reduce tensions. In the latest round of talks, the parties even agreed to advance joint economic projects and to establish a mechanism to prevent friction between the countries, which would be based in Jordan.

"Significant progress has been made in clarifying the concerns of both sides, and in light of recent developments, there is clear value in renewing the talks as soon as possible," Barrack told i24NEWS. He added that the al-Sharaa government made it clear that it has no aggressive intentions toward Israel and that its sole purpose is to defend its sovereignty.

“Syria has proven itself to be a responsible, stable, sovereign neighbor, and a carefully constructed de-escalation arrangement will significantly contribute to greater calm and stability, as well as to increased certainty throughout the region,” Barrack said.

One of the points of contention in the talks between Israel and Syria was the Israeli concern that Turkish military personnel or equipment might be stationed at Syrian bases, some of which are located near the border with Israel.

In January, i24NEWS reported that the deployment of the advanced Turkish radar system HTRS-100 at Damascus International Airport was perceived in Israel as "very concerning." Israeli officials feared that a Turkish military installation capable of tracking aerial targets at a range of 150–200 kilometers (93-124 miles) could significantly restrict the Israeli Air Force's freedom of operation in Syrian airspace.

Barrack said that according to the position of the US, the civilian infrastructure does not constitute a security threat to Israel. "Syria’s ability to maintain safe and reliable civil aviation within the country depends on the existence of a functioning civilian radar infrastructure. We remain convinced that this technical requirement should not present a security concern, and that further discussions can help clarify the issue to everyone's satisfaction," the ambassador told i24NEWS.

Barrack said that the immediate priority of the United States must be to help reduce tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem and to prevent an unintended escalation that could be difficult to stop.

“All parties must act with patience to achieve a stable and sustainable solution to this very complex situation. Turkey and Israel have enjoyed, at various points over the last three decades, periods of constructive and fruitful relations. President Trump’s plan offers a sustainable path that can succeed if it is given the necessary space and support,” he said.