by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief
(Worthy News) – Israel has warned Syria not to allow Turkey to establish a deeper military foothold inside the country, escalating a growing diplomatic confrontation between Jerusalem and Ankara after an Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur military air base in northern Syria.
According to Ynet News, Israel conveyed a blunt message to Damascus following the strike, saying it does not seek escalation with either Syria or Turkey but “will not accept a Turkish foothold on Syrian soil.” Israeli officials said the base, located in the Idlib area, was tied to Turkish plans to expand its military presence in Syria.
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Yechiel Leiter, told Ynet that Israel had received “clear intelligence” showing Turkey intended to significantly expand its presence in Syria, calling it a “red line” and a violation of understandings that the status quo in Syria would remain in place.
The warning came as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Thursday evening with Israel’s defense chiefs and intelligence officials to assess developments in Syria and rising tensions with Turkey.
Turkey denied that its delegation was present at the base before or during the Israeli strike and said it would continue backing the government of Ahmed al-Sharaa in Syria. Ankara’s support has become a major concern for Israel, which fears a Turkish military presence could threaten Israeli security and limit Israel’s operational freedom over Syrian airspace.
The dispute deepened after Netanyahu said the Israeli strike sent Turkey a direct “Don’t” message. A senior spokesman for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan accused Netanyahu of “threats and lies,” claiming Israel was fueling instability in the region.
Relations between Israel and Turkey have sharply deteriorated in recent months, with Turkish officials repeatedly attacking Netanyahu over Gaza and Syria, while Israeli officials have accused Erdogan’s government of supporting Hamas and embracing antisemitic rhetoric.
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