Israeli opposition slams Syria strike as 'provocative,' warns of US rift

Yair Golan, who heads Israel’s Democrats party, on Wednesday called the latest strike in Syria a “provocative and dangerous” move that was deepening the rift between Jerusalem and Washington while pushing Israel closer to a potential confrontation with Türkiye. He said the attack reflected a pattern of military force being deployed for domestic political considerations rather than genuine national security interests.

“Military force is once again being used for political considerations, and once again Israel is paying the price in terms of its security,” Golan said in a post on the social media platform X. He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being an “extremist and unreliable” actor who cannot be trusted to build a stable regional framework.

Leadership criticism

Golan said Netanyahu was systematically eroding international trust in Israel and driving away partners at a critical moment for regional stability. “Israel needs leadership that knows how to use force to achieve security, not to create another war for political survival,” he said, adding that the current government’s actions were isolating Jerusalem from its closest allies.

Regional fallout

Israeli warplanes carried out eight airstrikes early Tuesday targeting the runway of Abu al-Duhur Military Airbase in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province, damaging its infrastructure. Syria protested the attacks in letters to the United Nations and the Security Council, stating that continued Israeli strikes and incursions were obstructing stabilization efforts and threatening to ignite broader regional tensions.