‘Armed to the teeth’: Syria buildup, Ankara involvement necessitated Israeli strikes - experts say
Ankara rejected allegations made by Jerusalem that the deployment of Turkish forces violated the “status quo” and posed a threat to Israel’s security.
Israel launched airstrikes against a military airfield in Idlib province, Syria, to prevent a potential direct clash with Turkish forces, according to experts. Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak, a Turkey expert at Tel Aviv University, emphasized that Israel is not interested in clashing with Turkey and is doing everything to keep Turkey away from its borders.
In response, Turkey rejected allegations that its deployment violated the status quo and threatened Israel's security. The Israeli Prime Minister's Office accused Netanyahu of pursuing "expansionist and destabilizing policies" ahead of elections. Turkish Presidency stated that lasting regional peace could only be achieved if Israel abandoned its "aggressive and coercive policies."
Yanarocak noted that the geographical proximity between Turkey and Syria makes it harder for Israel to avoid a direct clash with Turkey. Jonathan Hessen, a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security, explained that Turkey's influence in Syria is far more deeply embedded than just a military presence. He pointed out that Israel has faced numerous attacks from Islamist forces under the Assad regime, and many members of the new Syrian Transitional Government (STG) maintain ties with hostile groups.
Hessen argued that it is strange for a newly established regime to build up its military rapidly, especially with economic challenges in Syria. He also mentioned that Syria has recruited around 100,000 personnel into its new army, including 30,000 members of the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army, and incorporated foreign fighters, including 3,500 members of a Uighur brigade.
Written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
