Israel accuses Turkey of risky moves in Syria after airstrike on Abu al-Duhar base
Israel said Turkish forces were poised to deploy to a Syrian air base, prompting a strike, while Turkey denied any presence and condemned the attack as reckless.
Israel’s defence minister said Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was "dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria" after Israeli jets hit the Abu al-Duhar air base in Syria earlier this week. The strike was justified by Israel as a pre-emptive move against an alleged Turkish deployment.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Damascus not to permit a Turkish presence at the site, stating the message was clear and apparently not understood.
Turkey’s defence ministry rejected claims of a military presence at the base and pledged to keep supporting Syria’s sovereignty and infrastructure development. A ministry spokesman said Turkey’s efforts to protect Syria’s territorial integrity would continue "resolutely."
Syria’s foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, said there were no plans for Turkish forces to establish a base and that the largely empty facility was being restored for Syrian Air Force use. He acknowledged recent visits by Turkish officers for training and expertise exchange but denied any intent to create a permanent Turkish deployment.
The incident adds to rising tensions between Ankara and Jerusalem, which have maintained a communication line since last year to avoid clashes in Syria. Both countries have been active in the Syrian theatre, with Israel conducting frequent strikes in the southwest and Turkey maintaining a long-standing military presence in the north and east. The two nations also remain at odds over the conflict in Gaza.
"Israel will not allow any entity to threaten its security," defence minister Israel Katz wrote on X.
"Our efforts and contributions to protect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and help it establish a stable and secure environment, will continue resolutely," a Turkish ministry spokesperson said.
"There was no intention to establish a Turkish base there, nor to establish a permanent Turkish military presence or deploy Turkish forces at the site," Syrian foreign minister Al-Shaibani told Axios.
Syria indicated openness to de-escalation talks with Israel, provided that any agreement respects Syrian sovereignty and addresses mutual security concerns.