JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Israel will not accept the establishment of Turkish military positions in Syria or elsewhere if Jerusalem considers them a threat to its national security.
Netanyahu’s warning came after Israel carried out airstrikes on the Abu al-Duhur air base in northwestern Syria, near Aleppo. Israeli officials said the strikes were intended to prevent the deployment of Turkish forces to the facility.
According to Netanyahu’s office, Israel and Syria had reached an understanding aimed at maintaining the existing security situation. Israel says Syria was close to violating that arrangement by allowing Turkish troops to deploy at the air base.
“Israel will not tolerate threats to its security,” Netanyahu’s office said, adding that Israel had repeatedly warned Damascus that a Turkish military deployment at the site would be viewed as a security threat. (The Times of Israel)
Syrian state media reported that eight Israeli strikes hit the Abu al-Duhur facility, damaging the runway and other infrastructure. No casualties were reported. Syrian officials condemned the attack as a violation of Syria’s sovereignty and a threat to regional stability. (Al Jazeera)
The Israeli strike followed a visit to the air base by a Turkish delegation, according to Syrian officials cited by The Associated Press. The delegation reportedly inspected rehabilitation work at the facility before leaving the site. The visit has not been publicly described by Ankara as evidence of a planned Turkish military deployment. (The Washington Post)
Turkey has strongly rejected Israel’s allegations. Ankara described the Israeli claims as “untenable” and accused Netanyahu of using them to justify what Turkey called unlawful attacks against Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. (Reuters)
The dispute has added a new dimension to growing tensions between Israel and Turkey over Syria. Turkey has expanded its military and political cooperation with Syria’s new government, while Israel has repeatedly expressed concern about the presence of foreign forces and military infrastructure near areas it considers strategically sensitive.
The United States has also become involved in efforts to prevent the situation from escalating. U.S. special envoy Tom Barrack said Washington is working to establish a deconfliction mechanism between Israel, Turkey and Syria to reduce the risk of misunderstandings or an accidental military confrontation. (Reuters)
The latest confrontation underscores the increasingly complicated security environment in post-war Syria, where Israel, Turkey, Syria and the United States have overlapping but often competing security interests.
The key point is that Israel says it is opposing a potentially threatening Turkish military deployment in Syria, while Turkey denies that the Israeli allegations justify the strike.
