— Israel told the Trump administration that its airstrikes on the Aboul Duhur air base in Syria were carried out to prevent a possible military buildup by Turkey at these facilities, according to a report by Axios.

At least eight bombs hit the base and destroyed newly reconstructed runways and several garages. Israel informed the White House before the attack.

Syria was aware of Israel’s concerns and had previously told Israel that the reconstruction of the runway was not for hostile purposes.

Some senior U.S. officials believe the attack was influenced in part by Israel’s upcoming elections in October. They said Syria was seeking a security agreement and a joint coordination center with Israel to prevent escalation, but Israel declined to implement this mechanism and instead increased its military influence in southern Syria.

One U.S. official said: “At a certain point, the Syrian government began to change its posture and thought that it needed to defend itself against the Israeli invasion.”

The Trump administration has asked Syria to exercise restraint and told Damascus that tensions may be easier to resolve after Israel’s elections.