Turkey pledges to protect Syria, rejects Netanyahu 'trap'

Turkey on Thursday reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Syria and preserving its territorial integrity, denying reports of any Turkish military delegation at Abu al-Duhur airbase in northwest Syria, which was targeted by Israel early Tuesday.

A Turkish Defense Ministry official told reporters that no Turkish military delegation was present at the airbase before or during the Israeli strike.

Defense Ministry spokesperson Zeki Akturk said the attacks on Abu al-Duhur airbase were aimed at destabilizing Syria and undermining its territorial unity, stressing that Ankara would continue its efforts to safeguard Syrian sovereignty. The Turkish presidency also stated it would not fall into the "trap" set by Benjamin Netanyahu in Syria, citing Turkey’s experience in managing such crises.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel had sent a clear message to Turkey not to establish military bases in Syria, arguing that a Turkish military presence in southern Syria would threaten Israel’s security. He added that Israel initially conveyed its position in general terms, then clarified it after receiving no response.

Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz warned Turkey against "dangerous adventures" in Syria, stating that Israel would not tolerate any threats to its security. Writing on X, Katz said it would be better for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to focus on speeches in the Turkish parliament rather than testing Israel’s resolve.

Turkish-Israeli relations have been increasingly strained in recent years, with tensions escalating after the Gaza war in October 2023, the conflict in Lebanon, and Israeli incursions into Syria. Ankara supports the new authorities in Syria following the ouster of President Bashar Assad in December 2024.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, the airstrike followed a recent visit by a Turkish military delegation to the site as part of efforts to reactivate the airbase. Israeli strikes typically target military sites to prevent the new Syrian authorities from seizing the former army’s arsenal, but the latest attack hit a location far from the southern security zone.