Zein Khalil and Tarek Chouiref
20 August 2026•Update: 20 August 2026
Israeli opposition leader Yair Golan on Wednesday called Israel’s latest strike in Syria a “provocative and dangerous” move, saying it was deepening a rift with the country’s allies, particularly the US.
Golan, the leader of Israel’s Democrats party, said the attack was bringing Israel closer to a confrontation with Türkiye.
“Military force is once again being used for political considerations, and once again Israel is paying the price in terms of its security,” he said in a post on the US social media platform X.
Golan accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of being an “extremist and unreliable” actor who could not be trusted to build a stable regional framework.
He said Netanyahu was eroding trust in Israel and driving away partners and allies.
“Israel needs leadership that knows how to use force to achieve security, not to create another war for political survival,” Golan said.
His remarks came after 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 UN and Security Council, saying continued Israeli strikes, incursions and abductions were obstructing stabilization efforts and threatening further regional tensions.