Israel-Turkey Rift Deepens After Strike on Syrian Airbase
A rift between Israel and Turkey widened after Israeli air strikes on a Syrian airbase, with Ankara branding Israel’s justification “frivolous” and accusing it of trying to legitimise unlawful attacks. Israel said it struck to stop Turkish troops deploying in Syria, claiming Damascus was about to breach an agreed status quo. Syria’s foreign minister said the raids had “no security justification”, and Gulf states joined the United States in condemning them.
The episode has pitted two of America’s most important regional partners against each other over the future of post-Assad Syria, with Israel determined to prevent a Turkish military foothold on its northern flank and Turkey equally determined to project power into its neighbour. The chorus of condemnation, from Damascus and Ankara to Riyadh, Cairo and even Washington’s own envoy, leaves Israel unusually isolated, a sign that its willingness to strike across the region is testing even friendly patience. For a fragile Syrian government, becoming the battleground for this rivalry is a dangerous complication. Watch whether Turkey proceeds with any deployment and whether the war of words hardens into something more.