Turkish forces narrowly escape Israeli strike on Syria - assessment

Syrian officials confirmed that a Turkish delegation visited the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria the day before an Israeli airstrike. The strikes were carried out early Tuesday morning, just hours after the delegation's departure. The facility sustained damage, but there were no casualties. Prime Minister Netanyahu's office stated that the attack aimed to prevent a violation of the status quo, as Damascus was close to approving the deployment of Turkish troops. Turkey condemned the strike, calling Israel's claims 'unfounded accusations'.

Syrian officials confirmed that a Turkish delegation visited the Abu al-Duhur airbase in northern Syria the day before an Israeli airstrike, marking the first confirmation of Israeli claims regarding Turkish presence at the base. The strikes were carried out early Tuesday morning, just hours after the delegation's departure. The facility sustained damage, but there were no casualties or injuries. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that the attack aimed to prevent a potential violation of the security status quo by Syria, as Damascus was close to approving the deployment of Turkish troops there. According to two Syrian officials, the Turkish delegation visited the airbase in Idlib province on Monday to review reconstruction progress. Turkish and Syrian authorities condemned the strike, with Turkey calling Netanyahu's claims 'unfounded accusations'. Ankara also accused Netanyahu of expansionist policies ahead of Israeli elections. Turkey continues to cooperate with the Syrian government, providing assistance in rebuilding its armed forces, including military training and equipment supplies.