Turkey-Israel: The Cold War Heats Up in the North | Dr. Eitan Lesri

The Israeli strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria marks an escalation in Israel-Turkey relations, from a rhetorical conflict to military friction. Israel took responsibility for the operation and presented it as a message against Turkish entrenchment in Syria. The American concern over a confrontation between two allies is becoming tangible.

The unusual Israeli strike deep in Syria, targeting the Abu al-Duhur airbase, marks a significant escalation in Israel-Turkey relations. It is no longer just a rhetorical conflict or an indirect struggle for regional influence, but a clear signal that the "cold war" between Jerusalem and Ankara could gradually shift to a military footing. The fact that Israel took responsibility for the operation and presented it as a direct message against Turkish entrenchment in Syria makes the event a turning point. Meanwhile, the intensifying rhetoric from the Israeli political echelon and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan illustrates that the room for maneuver between the sides is narrowing. The American concern over a confrontation between two strategically important countries in the Middle East and within NATO is becoming more tangible. The article analyzes the strategic context of Erdogan's ambition to establish a broad Sunni axis, the significance of the strike as a redrawing of the rules of the game, and the implications for negotiations with Syria, maritime friction in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the American arena. The central message: the cold war is heating up, and the real risk is a deterioration due to an incident or misidentification.