Israel Confirms Strike on Syrian Airbase

According to the statement, the strike was authorized only after Israel issued a direct warning to senior officials in the Syrian regime to prevent the Turkish force deployment, while simultaneously updating appropriate authorities in the United States. After Syrian officials chose to ignore the Israeli warnings, the operation proceeded, resulting in extensive destruction of runways and hangars at the base.

Alongside the official confirmation, an unusual phone call that took place last week between Mossad chief Dani Barnea and Syria's new foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, was revealed. According to a report published by Reuters, the conversation focused on Turkish military presence on Syrian soil, with Barnea expressing Israeli concerns about the establishment of Turkish forces near the border.

The Israeli operation drew sharp criticism from Thomas (Tom) Barrack, the U.S. ambassador to Turkey and President Trump's special envoy to Syria. Barrack characterized the strike as "an unnecessary escalation that does not contribute to regional stability," and protested that Turkey was not warned in advance and could have responded with fire against Israeli aircraft.

In an interview, he sharply criticized the action, suggesting it may have stemmed from political considerations aimed at "provoking Turkey" and heating up the sector ahead of Israeli elections. He linked this to what he described as "irrational judgment" that characterizes sensitive political periods. Additionally, his reference to the Golan Heights, which he called "occupied Syrian territory" due to "international consensus," sparked considerable anger in Jerusalem.

In response to the American ambassador's remarks, the defense minister firmly rejected the accusations. Katz stated that the attempt to paint the strike in political colors "stems from a combination of ignorance, lack of understanding of security interests, and the opposition and media's constant desire to attack the government."

The minister personally criticized Barak and emphasized that his statements about the Golan Heights are riddled with inaccuracies and directly contradict President Trump's own historic position, as Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan in 2019.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined the forceful message last week, addressing Turkish attempts to establish forces near Aleppo: "We will not tolerate Turkish military establishment moving southward and threatening us. We sent a message – Don't. The message was delivered, but apparently they didn't hear it. So we made sure they understood."

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir clarified during a tour of fighters in southern Syria: "We will not allow hostile forces to establish themselves on our borders."

Turkey's Defense Ministry issued a sharp statement following the Israeli strike. In an official announcement, Ankara made clear it would continue supporting Syria and assisting in developing its military capabilities, while rejecting Israeli claims regarding Turkish military presence at the site.

"We will resolutely continue our efforts to protect Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and will continue supporting Syria's efforts to develop its military capabilities," the Turkish Defense Ministry statement read. The declaration added a warning: "We were not present at the location; it is essential that Israel stop these reckless attacks."

Turkish media adopted an aggressive line against Israel. The newspaper "Türkiye" ran the headline "Serious Provocation by Israel," while "TAKVIM" sharply attacked, claiming "the Zionists' problem is Turkey." A Turkish national security expert issued a combative call to Israel: "If the Israelis have courage – let's fight."

A day after Netanyahu's stern warning to Ankara, Turkish authorities escalated legal measures against Israel. Turkey's Justice Ministry announced it had submitted a formal request to Interpol for a "red notice" against Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials for "genocide" and crimes against humanity.

Turkish Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç confirmed the move is being carried out as a direct continuation of arrest warrants issued in Turkey as part of legal proceedings underway there. The Justice Ministry in Ankara noted that relevant documents were transferred to Turkey's Interior and Foreign Ministries to advance the request with the international organization's headquarters.