Israeli airstrikes this week struck multiple military sites in Syria that Turkish teams had reportedly inspected in recent weeks as part of Ankara’s strategic evaluation for a potential defense initiative in the war-torn country, according to four sources with knowledge of the matter who spoke to the Reuters news agency.
The targeted locations included the T4 and Palmyra air bases in Homs province, as well as the main airport in Hama province—sites Turkey had considered using under a proposed joint defense framework aimed at increasing its presence in central Syria, said the report.
The developments highlight escalating friction between Israel and Turkey as they navigate a complex post-Assad landscape in Syria. Islamist factions, long opposed to the previous regime, assumed control after Bashar Al-Assad was removed from power in December, raising concerns in Jerusalem over the potential implications for its security.
Despite Turkish assurances to the United States that its increased involvement in Syria does not threaten Israel, Israel views Turkey’s deeper role with skepticism—particularly over fears of advanced military assets being positioned within striking distance.
One regional intelligence official quoted by Reuters described the Israeli strikes on Wednesday as “a tough message that Israel won’t accept the expanded Turkish presence.” The official added that T4 suffered heavy damage, rendering the site “totally unusable.” Another planned Turkish inspection of the base was aborted after the strikes occurred.
Turkish teams had previously assessed the condition of runways, hangars, and operational infrastructure at the targeted sites, according to the same official, two Syrian military sources, and another Syrian source familiar with the visits. All sources spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the information.
Turkey’s Defense Ministry responded to inquiries by stating, “Reports and posts regarding developments in Syria—whether real or alleged—that do not originate from official authorities should not be taken into consideration, as they lack credibility and may be misleading.”
Syria’s defense ministry did not issue a statement.
Security sources in Israel said on Thursday that the IDF strikes in Syria were intended to prevent a planned Turkish takeover of the targeted area.
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