Netanyahu warned Erdogan: "Israel will not allow a military base in Syria"

The Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, issued a strong warning to Turkey and stated that Israel will not allow Ankara to establish a permanent military presence in Syria, especially in areas close to the Israeli border.

The statement came a day after the attack on the military airport of Abu Duhur in the Syrian province of Idlib, amid a growing dispute between Israel and Turkey over Syria's military future.

Netanyahu explained that Jerusalem had initially conveyed a general warning about the possibility of Turkey setting up a military base at an airfield near Aleppo. However, according to his account, the message was not understood by the Turkish authorities.

“Apparently, they did not hear it, so we made sure they understood it more clearly”, the leader stated during an interview with the Israeli Army radio.

Netanyahu made Israel's red line clear

The Israeli Prime Minister emphasized that his government's opposition is not limited to a specific base or military installation, but targets any attempt at expansion of Turkish forces into southern Syria.

“We will not tolerate a Turkish military entrenchment advancing southward, as it threatens us”, Netanyahu asserted.

The Prime Minister's office had previously indicated that Syria was close to authorizing the deployment of Turkish troops at a military base. For Israel, that move would alter the strategic balance in an area it considers crucial for its security.

Although Netanyahu did not make a detailed claim regarding the attack on Abu Duhur, his statements established a direct link between the operation and Israel's concern over the potential establishment of Turkish forces on Syrian territory.

Turkey denied preparing a military base

Ankara rejected the Israeli interpretation and denied that it is preparing to establish a military base or a permanent troop deployment in the area mentioned by Jerusalem.

The dispute occurs at a time of growing tension between Israel and Turkey, whose relations have deteriorated especially since the start of the war in Gaza. Now, Syria appears as a new confrontation scenario between the two countries.

Turkey maintains strategic and military interests in Syria, while Israel seeks to prevent any force it considers potentially hostile from consolidating positions near its borders.

The fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in December 2024 also transformed the balance of power in Syrian territory and opened a dispute among different regional actors for influence over the country's future.

Israel reinforces its presence in southern Syria

Netanyahu's message coincided with a visit from the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Army, Eyal Zamir, to the troops deployed in southern Syria.

During the tour, Zamir stated that the Israel Defense Forces are closely monitoring the evolution of the Syrian scenario and that the country will not allow forces considered hostile to consolidate positions near its borders.

“We must prevent the development of terrorist threats while avoiding the emergence of a significant military threat at our borders”, the military chief stated in front of the soldiers.

Zamir also warned that Israel will use its operational capabilities when it deems necessary, in a regional scenario that Israeli authorities consider increasingly complex.

The new scenario after Assad's fall

The Israeli military presence in southern Syria intensified after the collapse of Assad's regime. Israel then justified its operations by the need to prevent weapons and military equipment abandoned during the collapse of the former government from falling into the hands of groups considered enemies.

Since then, Jerusalem has sought to maintain a security zone along its borders while observing the movements of various forces trying to occupy the void left by Assad.

The possible establishment of Turkish military infrastructure now adds a new front of tension to the complex Syrian scenario.

Netanyahu thus set a red line for Ankara: Israel is not willing to accept a Turkish military expansion into southern Syria and, according to his own words, has already taken steps to ensure that the message was understood.