Informed sources told Al-Modon that senior officials in the U.S. administration have warned the Israeli government against providing any form of support to the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), amid rapidly shifting political and security dynamics in Syria—particularly in the country’s north and east.
According to the sources, the warning was delivered during direct communications between American officials and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. U.S. President Donald Trump was quoted as telling Netanyahu: “Keep your hands off Syria, and you must engage in serious negotiations with the Syrian government,” signaling Washington’s rejection of any Israeli involvement in the Syrian file during this sensitive period.
The sources added that the American position came in response to attempts by prominent SDF figures—most notably Ilham Ahmed and Mazlum Abdi—to open indirect channels with the Israeli government. Their aim was to secure political and diplomatic backing that could strengthen the SDF’s negotiating position in any future settlement with Damascus, and to present themselves as a potential partner in counterterrorism and regional stability.
Although these contacts were limited and never publicly acknowledged, they reportedly raised concerns within the U.S. administration. Washington feared that any rapprochement between the SDF and Israel could complicate the regional landscape, heighten tensions inside Syria, and disrupt existing understandings with international and regional actors.
Iranian Drones for the “SDF”
In a related development, a commander in the Syrian Army’s Al-Shahin Brigade—responsible for drone operations—told Al-Modon that a new batch of drones had been detected entering SDF-controlled areas in Hasakah Governorate. The drones included the Iranian-made Mohajer-6 and Paruss models.
The commander, who is familiar with the field situation in northern and eastern Syria, said that part of these drones originally belonged to forces linked to the previous regime, which had left them in the Tabaqa area before withdrawing. They were later transferred to other zones under SDF control. He added that drone strikes were concentrated mainly in the countryside of Hasakah, with limited activity recorded weeks earlier in Aleppo’s Sheikh Maqsoud neighborhood.
Logistical Support
The commander noted that Iran’s previous presence in areas such as Deir Hafer east of Aleppo, Manbij, and Al-Mayadeen east of Deir ez-Zor facilitated the transfer and delivery of such weapons, amid earlier field cooperation between the two sides. Iranian bases in Deir ez-Zor served as key logistical hubs, enabling drones to be moved northward—particularly given the practically open borders between SDF-held areas and the Kurdistan Region of Iraq.
He described this development as evidence of direct or indirect Iranian support for the SDF at this stage, coinciding with rising military tensions along contact lines with the Syrian Army and in the eastern countryside of Aleppo. This adds a new layer to the political and security complexities surrounding the SDF’s regional and international role.
