An unusual incident occurred on Tuesday that openly revealed the “Cold War” between Israel and Turkey over shaping Syria’s future – this time involving open military force.
Israeli fighter jets carried out multiple strikes on the runways of the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in Idlib province, approximately 70 kilometers from the Syrian-Turkish border.
The objective of the attack: to prevent the deployment and establishment of Turkish forces on Syrian soil – a project that Turkish strongman Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been pushing forward recently in order to deepen Turkey’s military influence in the country.
In a rare move, Israel chose to publicly claim responsibility for the attack. The Prime Minister’s Office published an official statement in English, confirming the attack while simultaneously formulating a new, firm equation vis-à-vis these two regimes.
The Prime Minister’s Office:
Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo.Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to…
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) August 18, 2026
The statement made clear that Israel and Syria had agreed to maintain the status quo on security matters. However, Syria had been on the verge of breaching this agreement by allowing Turkish forces to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo.
Israel emphasized that Syria had chosen to ignore repeated Israeli warnings that such a deployment would constitute a security threat.
It is important to mention at this point that this issue had already come up recently in closed-door talks between Israel and the United States.
Following news of the attack, US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, revealed that Turkey had received no advance warning of the Israeli strike. According to him, Turkish radar systems had detected the aircraft approaching their territory, and Turkey could even have prepared a military response. However, “the sides that acted with deliberation and a cool head prevented further escalation.”
Following the incident, he stated that Washington was now working on establishing a mechanism to prevent friction between Israel, Syria, and Turkey. At the same time, the Turkish Foreign Ministry swiftly condemned the attack. Egypt also aligned itself with this position in this instance, condemning the Israeli operation in Idlib.
The attack illustrates how Israel is actively curbing Turkey’s expansionist strategy. The Turks view post-war Syria as a unique opportunity to turn the country into their backyard, deepen their influence there, and establish a permanent military presence.
The Israeli operation sends a clear signal that an Iranian military presence must not be replaced by a Turkish one. Furthermore, the incident highlights one of the central risks Erdogan faces: Israeli strength and dominance in the region.
The fact that Israel strikes a clearly Turkish target without warning, and that Turkey chooses to accept the incident and not respond in order to avoid being drawn into an escalation, represents a significant blow to its image of power both at home and abroad.
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