Israeli airstrikes on a Syrian airbase on August 17-18 triggered a diplomatic standoff, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning Turkey against military entanglements in Syria. The strikes followed a high-level Mossad-Syria call about Turkish military deployments, as Ankara denied allegations of encroaching on Israeli security interests.
The Israeli military struck the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria on August 17-18, prompting Syria to condemn the attack as a violation of its sovereignty. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later stated that Damascus was on the verge of permitting Turkish troops to deploy
there, citing repeated warnings to Ankara. The strike occurred days after a classified call between Mossad chief Roman Gofman and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, during which Israeli officials raised concerns about Turkish military presence and arms sales to Syria.
High-Level Diplomacy and Escalating Tensions
The August 14 conversation between Gofman and Shaibani marked one of the most significant direct exchanges between Israel and Syria’s Damascus administration since the 2024 fall of Bashar al-Assad. Sources familiar with the call said it centered on Israeli inquiries about Turkey’s military buildup in Syria, including the sale of weapons, provision of drones, and other issues.
Syrian officials, however, did not deny any plans in the sources, with the foreign ministry later condemning the Israeli strikes as a violation of its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Turkey’s response was swift. The Turkish presidency dismissed Israel’s claims as untenable allegations,
asserting that its military position in Syria was aimed at the establishment of peace, stability, and prosperity. The statement came as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, also serving as special envoy for Syria and Iraq, called the Israeli strikes an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability.
Barrack emphasized Washington’s efforts to establish a deconfliction mechanism among Israel, Turkey, and Syria, though no immediate breakthroughs were reported.
Netanyahu’s Direct Warning to Turkey
Netanyahu’s public remarks on August 19 framed the strikes as a direct response to Turkey’s growing influence in northern Syria. We made it clear to Turkey — Don’t. Apparently they didn’t hear the message, so we made sure they understood it better,
he said, referencing the airstrikes. The Israeli prime minister reiterated that Syria had ignored Israel’s repeated warnings that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel’s security,
though Damascus’s response was that it condemned the strikes.
The Israeli military’s stance aligns with broader concerns about Turkey’s role in the region. Since 2024, Turkey has emerged as a close ally of the Sharaa administration, which includes President Ahmad al-Sharaa. Israeli officials have consistently criticized Sharaa, with Foreign Minister Gideon Saar calling him a “jihadist” in March 2025. The tension escalated further in July 2025 when Israel’s diaspora affairs minister, Amichai Chikli, advocated assassinating Sharaa and warned that war could break out with Syria.
Syria’s Diplomatic Outreach and Regional Dynamics
Turkey’s involvement in northern Syria remains contentious. The country invaded parts of the region between 2016 and 2019 to support Syrian rebel groups and counter the Kurdistan Workers Party and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces. While Ankara has supported rebels, Turkish media has accused the IDF of carrying out raids into Syria along the buffer zone. Israel’s foreign ministry has responded by highlighting Turkey’s role in northern Syria.
The situation underscores the fragile balance of power in the region. With U.S. efforts to mediate and Israel’s firm stance against Turkish military expansion, the next steps remain unclear. Will Ankara alter its strategy, or will Israeli actions continue to escalate tensions? For now, the conflict remains a flashpoint in an already volatile landscape.
