Turkey rejects Israeli account of Syria strike although Damascus confirms Turkish officials visited base

During a visit to Syria, the IDF chief separately said Israel would not permit “hostile forces” to establish themselves along its borders.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Turkey rejected Israel’s explanation for striking an air base in Syria, denying that it planned to deploy troops there even as Syrian officials acknowledged Wednesday that Turkish officials had visited the facility a day before the Israeli strikes.

Ankara described Israel’s assertions about its military presence in Syria as “untenable allegations” after Jerusalem said Turkish troops were set to deploy at the base.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that Israel acted after Damascus allowed Turkish soldiers to deploy despite repeated Israeli warnings.

“Israel and Syria had agreed on a security status quo, which Syria nearly violated by allowing Turkish soldiers to deploy at an air base near Aleppo,” Netanyahu’s office said in an English-language statement.

He added that “Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel’s security. Syria chose to ignore these warnings. Israel will not tolerate threats to its security and would welcome a return to the status quo.”

Turkey denied that it was preparing to station troops in Syria and disputed Israel’s account a day after the air base was struck.

“The baseless claims made by the Israeli Prime Minister’s office are intended to legitimize Israel’s illegal airstrikes, which violate Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office said.

Syrian officials, however, confirmed Wednesday that Turkish officials had visited the base in question one day before the Israeli strikes.

During a visit to Syria, the IDF chief separately said Israel would not permit “hostile forces” to establish themselves along its borders.

Relations between Israel and Turkey have deteriorated rapidly since the October 7 massacre, with the two countries severing diplomatic and trade ties.

In July 2024, Erdogan appeared to raise the possibility of military intervention against Israel, suggesting Turkey could “do something similar” to Israel “just like we entered Karabakh, just like we entered Libya” in support of Palestinians.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan also criticized Israel in a television interview in July, calling the country a “burden that humanity can no longer bear” and urging the international community to impose sanctions.