Israel strikes Syrian air base in Idlib as tensions grow over a planned Turkish military deployment at the facility. The Israeli government said the operation was intended to prevent Turkey from establishing a military presence at Abu Duhur air base in northwestern Syria.
According to reports, eight Israeli strikes hit the runway at Abu Duhur air base on Wednesday. The attack damaged parts of the facility but reportedly caused no casualties. The Israeli action has added another point of tension to the increasingly complicated security situation in post-Assad Syria.
Israel said Syria was close to violating an agreed security status quo by permitting Turkish forces to deploy at the air base. The Israeli prime minister’s office said Damascus had been warned repeatedly that a Turkish deployment could pose a security threat to Israel.
The Israel strikes Syrian air base operation was condemned by Syria, with Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani describing the attack as an unjustified provocation and a violation of Syrian sovereignty. Damascus has rejected Israel’s justification for the military action.
Turkey also strongly condemned the Israeli strikes. Ankara called on the international community to take a more decisive position against what it described as Israel’s growing military actions in Syria. The incident comes amid increasing disagreements between Turkey and Israel over Syria’s future security arrangements.
Turkey maintains close relations with Syria’s interim government and has been providing support to the country’s military. Ankara’s growing role in Syria has brought it into greater competition with Israel, which continues to closely monitor developments along its northern frontier.
The strike on Abu Duhur could further complicate relations between Israel and Turkey and increase uncertainty over Syria’s military future. With several regional powers seeking influence in post-Assad Syria, disputes over military deployments and security arrangements could become a major source of further tensions.
