Israel condemns Damascus over rising Turkish military presence
Shafaq News- Middle East
Israel on Tuesday accused Damascus of ignoring Israeli concerns over a growing Turkish military presence in Syria, warning that the deployment poses a threat to Tel Aviv's security.
According to the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel and Syria had previously agreed on security arrangements, with Israel cautioning against any changes to those understandings.
The Prime Minister's Office:Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo.Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to…
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 18, 2026
Earlier on Tuesday, Israel launched eight strikes on Abu al-Duhur airbase in the Idlib countryside, targeting the base's runway and storage facilities.
Located about 70 kilometers from the Turkish border, the airbase has been out of service as a dedicated military airfield since 2013. Reports have suggested that Turkiye could expand its presence there.
US Special Envoy for Syria and Iraq and Ambassador to Turkiye Tom Barrack, meanwhile, explained that Washington is working to establish a deconfliction mechanism among Israel, Turkiye and Syria. He also indicated that Ankara had not been informed in advance of the Israeli strikes, leaving it able to prepare a response.
