Mehmed Ali repeatedly petitioned for the Syrian eyalet before invading

Evidence

Mehmed Ali still had his eye fixed on Syria, though, and on several occasions he asked to be given the eyalet of Damascus in addition to that of Egypt. In 1812, for example, he spoke to the British consul about his designs on the area. The following year while his forces were having difficulties trying to subdue the Wahhabis in Arabia, he wrote to the Sadrazam telling him that he could offset the reverses suffered by his army in Arabia only if he was given the eyalet of Sham (i.e. Damascus) in addition to Egypt. Two years later he repeated the same request. — Khaled Fahmy, All the Pasha_s Men_ Mehmed Ali, his…, 210