19.08.2026 23:40
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu targeted Turkey following the attack on the abandoned Abu Zuhur Military Airbase in eastern Idlib, Syria. Claiming that Ankara is trying to establish a military base in Syria and asserting that they will not allow it, Netanyahu described the attack on the airbase as a 'message' delivered to Turkey.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made arrogant statements targeting Turkey following the attack on the abandoned Abu Zuhur Military Airfield in the east of Syria's Idlib province.
"WE WILL NOT TOLERATE A MILITARY FORTIFICATION BY TURKEY ADVANCING SOUTHWARD" Netanyahu claimed that the objection to Turkey's possible military presence in the region lies behind Israel's military operations in Syria.
Claiming that Ankara is trying to establish a military base in Syria and asserting they will not allow it, Netanyahu said, "We will not tolerate a military fortification by Turkey advancing southward. We expressed this clearly in general terms."
"THEY DID NOT HEAR THE MESSAGE, WE MADE SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD IT BETTER" Netanyahu described the attack on Abu Zuhur Military Airfield as a 'warning' to Ankara.
Netanyahu said, "We saw that Turkey intended to position itself at an airfield near Aleppo. We conveyed a message, but apparently they did not hear it. So we made sure they understood it better."
WHAT HAD HAPPENED? Israeli warplanes had carried out an attack on the abandoned Abu Zuhur Military Airfield, located in the east of Syria's Idlib province.
No information was shared regarding whether there were any casualties or injuries in the attack.
Syrian officials stated that Israeli warplanes carried out 8 attacks on Abu Zuhur Military Airfield, noting that the runway as well as an idle structure in the hangar were targeted in the attacks.
Abu Zuhur Military Airfield FIERCE REACTION FROM TURKEY AND SYRIA Following the attack, Ankara emphasized that Syria's territorial integrity and sovereignty had been violated, inviting the international community to take a firm stance against Israel. Syrian Foreign Minister Esad Hasan Şeybani, on the other hand, described the attack as an "unjustified provocation."
BARRACK: WE ARE WORKING TO ESTABLISH A MECHANISM TO PREVENT A CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL, TURKEY AND SYRIA An unusually clear criticism of Israel's attacks also came from Washington. US Special Representative for Syria and Ambassador to Ankara Tom Barrack criticized the attack as "an unnecessary escalation that does not serve regional stability."
Stating that Turkey had not been notified before the attack, Barrack noted that the Turkish side had tracked the Israeli jets approaching their border on radar and that this situation could push Turkey into preparing a military response. Evaluating that the process did not turn into a conflict, Barrack said, "Fortunately, composure prevented the situation from worsening further."
Barrack said that following the current crisis, the US stepped in to establish a new de-confliction mechanism between Israel, Turkey and Syria.