Senior Israeli officer warns Turkey over advanced systems in Syria

Israel has warned Turkey against deploying radars and surface-to-air missile systems in Syria, saying such systems could restrict the operational freedom of the Israeli Air Force as Tel Aviv prepares for a possible third strike on Iran, according to Channel 13, citing a senior Israeli officer.

The officer said Israel had issued a warning to Turkey regarding the deployment of these systems, but the warning "had no effect," stressing that Tel Aviv would not allow advanced Turkish systems to be established in Syria.

These Israeli concerns coincide with possible Turkish moves inside Syrian territory, as Israel closely monitors the type of military capabilities Ankara may deploy and their impact on the movement of Israeli aircraft.

Meanwhile, Channel 12 quoted Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar as saying that Tel Aviv "has no interest in military escalation with Turkey," adding that his government prefers to seek diplomatic solutions with Ankara if possible.

Sa'ar explained that Israel is working to protect its national security, noting that statements by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan cannot be ignored, but emphasized that Israel does not seek escalation.

Nevertheless, the Israeli foreign minister set clear red lines regarding Turkish presence in Syria, affirming that Israel "will never accept the establishment of Turkish military bases inside Syria or the deployment of Turkish forces in southern areas."

At the same time, Israel's public broadcaster cited official sources saying Tel Aviv had expressed "deep concern" to Washington over the possible deployment of Turkish air defense systems at Abu al-Duhur military airport in Syria.