Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter revealed that clear intelligence demonstrated Turkish intentions to expand their military presence in Syria prior to an Israeli airstrike earlier this week. Israeli fighter jets dropped at least eight bombs on runways and hangars at the Abu al-Duhur air base, located 72 kilometers from the Turkish border, after intelligence indicated Ankara violated existing security agreements.
The diplomatic clarification highlights growing friction between Jerusalem and Ankara regarding regional security boundaries. "Israel is not interested in escalation with Turkey or Syria, but a red line was crossed," Leiter stated during a public address. "This was a Turkish move that blatantly violated the understandings according to which the status quo in Syria would be preserved. Whoever needed exposure to the intelligence received it, we clarified that this was a violation of the understandings, and therefore Israel was forced to act."
Leiter noted that Israel remains open to diplomatic channels with Ankara despite aggressive public statements from Turkish leadership. "Israel is certainly open to dialogue with Ankara, although according to statements by officials in that country, they would prefer to erase us from the map," Leiter said. He added that the attempted Turkish expansion violated previous understandings reached under the Biden administration between Israel and the administration of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
The ambassador detailed how those security parameters were reaffirmed during a high level meeting in Paris in January, which he attended alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack, then Israeli National Security Adviser Gil Reich, and then Prime Minister Military Secretary Roman Gofman. Leiter emphasized that while Israel maintains a small security zone of approximately 78 square miles in Syria to protect its border, Turkey has executed a creeping annexation of roughly 3,500 square miles in northern Syria, accounting for five percent of Syrian territory.
Leiter noted that Syrian authorities were likely pressured into accepting the Turkish deployment. "We understand that the Syrians do not want a confrontation with us, and there is more than one indication that the move planned by Turkey was forced upon the Syrians," Leiter stated. He pointed out that while Turkish authorities denied sending a military delegation to the base prior to the strike, Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shibani confirmed their presence.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz issued an explicit warning to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan following the military action. "Erdogan is dragging Turkey into dangerous adventures in Syria," Katz stated. "Israel will not allow any entity to threaten its security. It is better for Erdogan to continue delivering empty, fantastical speeches against Israel in the Turkish parliament and not test Israel's determination to defend itself."
Syrian and Turkish defense ministries rejected claims of an intended Turkish military build up at the base. Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shibani claimed Damascus informed Israel before the strike that no Turkish military build up was occurring, while the Turkish Ministry of Defense released a statement denying its military delegation was present, promising to continue supporting Syrian defense infrastructure.
Following the strike, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement directed at Damascus, noting, "Our message was very clear: do not do this. I assume they did not quite understand the message." US President Donald Trump confirmed he was briefed on the operation, declining to condemn the action and stating simply, "I cannot talk about it."
