Israeli strikes on bases in Syria spark fury in Ankara

Retired Turkish Admiral Cihat Yaycı stated that Israeli strikes on military targets in Syria present Ankara with a complex dilemma. He called the attack on the Abu al-Duhur base a dangerous threshold in Turkish-Israeli relations, noting that the site is located 70 km from the border. Yaycı urged the activation of S-400 systems and warned of risks to stability in Northern Cyprus.

Retired Turkish Admiral Cihat Yaycı, in an interview with GZT News, stated that recent Israeli strikes on military targets in Syria present Ankara with a complex dilemma. He described the attack on the Abu al-Duhur base in northern Syria as an extremely dangerous threshold in bilateral relations between Turkey and Israel. Yaycı emphasized that the site is only 70 km from the Turkish border, which translates to mere minutes in flight time. According to him, Israel's statement about the inadmissibility of Turkish reinforcement at the base is a direct message to the Turkish leadership. The admiral noted that Israel is systematically destroying Syria's military potential following the fall of the Assad regime, mentioning the meeting of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani with Mossad chief Roman Gofman on August 14. Yaycı called for decisive steps: "If it were up to me, I would deploy and activate the S-400 right now." He also warned of risks to stability in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.